Skip to main content

These clever smart shoes could improve your balance and posture, and make you fitter

samsung iofit smart fitness shoes news shoe
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The future of fitness wearables is almost certainly in clothing, and the latest company to see the potential is Samsung. It has released a few early details regarding the IOFIT smart shoes — sneakers designed for the fitness fanatic to ensure balance, effort, and posture is at its best, therefore helping you reach peak performance without injury.

If you’re surprised to hear Samsung now has its own fashion range, it doesn’t; and it’s unlikely the IOFIT smart shoes will ever be released with the Samsung brand name on them. IOFIT is another startup that has sprung from Samsung’s C-Lab, where the company encourages staff to develop and work on new tech projects. The IOFIT shoes have been such a success, the team has left the confines of C-Lab to go it alone as Salted Venture.

Related: Hands-on with three of Samsung’s cool C-Lab projects

At first, the IOFIT shoes were developed for the golfer, to whom the ability to correctly shift weight between left and right feet is crucial, and the pressure sensors inside the IOFIT smart shoes made it easy to visualize and then improve balance. Normally, this is measured by complex machinery at pro-golf centers. The shoes put the same technology into everyone’s hands. Or feet.

The same data can be applied to other sports and exercise regimes, including cross training and weight lifting, where balance and posture has a major affect on muscle growth and injury prevention; therefore the accompanying IOFIT app works just as well off the golf course as it does on. There are even coaching modes, a video mode to better examine posture, and a way to share the data with a personal trainer.

If the IOFIT shoe isn’t going to have Samsung’s name attached, what will it say on the side? Salted Ventures wants to find a partner and will be showcasing the shoes at Mobile World Congress at the end of February, with a view to collaborating with a sports or fitness brand. It shouldn’t be difficult, provided the technology is sound, as brands from Adidas and Asics, to Under Armor and New Balance are all clamoring for some of the growing fitness wearable action.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
The best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors
Person holding skateboard while wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

A new, sleek design and digital bezel help the Galaxy Watch 4 stand out in the crowd and set it apart from the traditional style of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Whether you've picked up a 40mm model with a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen or opted for more screen real estate with the 44mm model, that stand-out design needs protecting from scratches and knocks. That means it's time for our picks of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors, with something to suit all budgets.

These screen protectors will all fit the 40mm or 44mm models of the Galaxy Watch 4. If you've got a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, these won't fit.
Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Screen Protector

Read more
How to remove watch links from the strap on your new watch
how to remove watch links fossil q explorist

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all smartwatch. If your wrists are on the smaller size, then you may find that your new smartwatch is dangling from your wrist and sliding up your forearm. No need to worry — it's a common problem. Chances are there are at least one too many chain links on the strap, but adjusting a metal-link smartwatch band isn't as difficult as you might think — and doesn't usually require a trip to the jewelers.

We'll take you through everything you need to know and the tools you'll need handy to remove links from your smartwatch so it fits snugly on your wrist.

Read more
Best Cyber Monday Deals 2022: Laptops, TVs, AirPods, and more
Best Cyber Monday Deals 2022

Cyber Week is here! With some truly epic deals out there, this is the best time of year to buy a new tech gadget. If you slept through the Black Friday sales, then the Cyber Monday sales, you better grab what you need during this week of slowly diminishing deals. From tablets to air fryers, laptops to smartwatches, we've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals across a range of categories, and you'll find them all below.
Cyber Monday sales: Quick links

Amazon: Huge discounts on laptops, Echo devices, and tablets
Best Buy: Your destination for sales on super-sized TVs
Dell: Unbeatable discounts on gaming laptops, monitors, and more
Gamestop: Cheap video games, console accessories and monitors
HP: Gaming PCs, laptops, monitors, and printers from $129
Kohl's: Home decor, clothing and kitchen appliance steals
Lowe’s: Up to 60% off appliances like refrigerators and decor
Staples: Save big on laptops, home office hardware and supplies
Target: Tons of cheap kitchen appliances and stocking-fillers
Walmart: Great for laptops, and is restocking PS5 and Xbox Series X

Read more