Your smarts may originate in your brain, but that doesn’t mean they can’t extend to your feet. At least, not if Xiaomi has anything to say about it. The Chinese tech company is proving that it’s capable of making a lot more than just smartphones, and its latest product is a pair of smart shoes. The name is quite the mouthful — the “90 Minutes Ultra Smart Sportswear.” The shoes have been created in conjunction with Intel, which created the tiny Curie module that makes the shoes “smart.” That is to say, capable of tracking your fitness.
Sure, you could buy one of Xiaomi’s fitness bands (aptly named the Band) if you wanted to keep tabs on your heart rate, calories burned, and distance walked in a day. But if you’d rather get the information from the real source, you can look to the shoes, which very directly track the wearer’s movement to deliver information about your walking, running, climbing, and other physical activity.
At the end of the day, you can check out a comprehensive report that lets you know how far you traveled (on foot), your average speed, and calories burned.
While the selling point of the shoes is doubtless their connected capabilities, they’re not a bad pair of trainers in and of themselves. With anti-skid features, air cushions, soles with arch support, and antibacterial insoles, this wouldn’t be an uncomfortable pair of sneakers just to have around.
For the time being, sadly, Xiaomi has plans to release the product exclusively in China, targeting an April launch date whereupon the 90 Minutes Ultra Smart Sportswear will be available in Black and Surf Blue options for men, and Black and Pink options for women. There’s also going to be a special edition of running shoes that glow in the dark.
Priced at just $44, these would certainly be popular if they ever made it to the U.S., but don’t hold your breath.