Wearables

Iofit shoes take a swing at improving your golf game

Iofit shoes take a swing at improving your golf game
Iofit wants to improve your swing, tracking your mechanics using pressure sensors
Iofit wants to improve your swing, tracking your mechanics using pressure sensors
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The shoes use inbuilt pressure sensors to measure weight distribution
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The shoes use inbuilt pressure sensors to measure weight distribution
Iofit has received support from Samsung
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Iofit has received support from Samsung
They might be clever, but Iofit shoes are also designed to be good golf shoes
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They might be clever, but Iofit shoes are also designed to be good golf shoes
The full Iofit range laid out
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The full Iofit range laid out 
A look at how the shoes are constructed
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A look at how the shoes are constructed 
Iofit connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth
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Iofit connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth
There are two different colors available in the Iofit Sport model
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There are two different colors available in the Iofit Sport model
The all-white might look a bit plain, but that's no bad thing in the golf world
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The all-white might look a bit plain, but that's no bad thing in the golf world
The Iofit classic comes in four different colors
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The Iofit classic comes in four different colors
The shoes have a neat pattern on the nose
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The shoes have a neat pattern on the nose 
Iofit is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter
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Iofit is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter
The application features coaching information and video overlay
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The application features coaching information and video overlay
There's information about how your weight is transferring through the ball
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There's information about how your weight is transferring through the ball
The pressure information works on your left and right foot, and can distinguish between toe and heel as well
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The pressure information works on your left and right foot, and can distinguish between toe and heel as well 
There's an option to practice your swing, and the app will tell you how consistent you're being
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There's an option to practice your swing, and the app will tell you how consistent you're being 
The feedback from the app breaks the swing down into its individual parts
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The feedback from the app breaks the swing down into its individual parts
A look at how the Iofit app works
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A look at how the Iofit app works 
The weight transfer tracking at the bottom of the screen is all about knowing how balanced you are when you strike the ball
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The weight transfer tracking at the bottom of the screen is all about knowing how balanced you are when you strike the ball
The dashboard provides detailed feedback
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The dashboard provides detailed feedback 
Video of the amateur can be overlaid with professional data
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Video of the amateur can be overlaid with professional data
A look at how the dashboard translates from phone-to-tablet
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A look at how the dashboard translates from phone-to-tablet
The shoes are connected to your phone through Bluetooth
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The shoes are connected to your phone through Bluetooth
Iofit wants to improve your swing, tracking your mechanics using pressure sensors
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Iofit wants to improve your swing, tracking your mechanics using pressure sensors
View gallery - 23 images

Golf can be a seriously frustrating game, where tiny technique shifts have a huge impact on the mechanics of your swing. Anyone who's tried to play the perfect 18 holes will know it's dead easy to go from a massive slice to a horrendous hook with just one small tweak, so cold hard data about what you're doing can be invaluable in shaving a few shots from the scorecard. Iofit is hoping its new shoes are the answer to (some of) the cursing, by analyzing your balance to work on your swing "from the ground up."

In the past, swing monitoring technology has largely been the preserve of watches or trackers clipped to the shaft of a golf club. Although systems like that can effectively track the path of a club, there's a lot more to the perfect swing than just the hands. That's where Iofit steps in with a set of shoes designed to paint a picture of swing mechanics using the wearer's weight transfer to work out where there's room for improvement.

Driving the Iofit system is a set of pressure sensors embedded in the outsole. Once they're connected to the companion iOS or Android app, the system uses a posture analysis algorithm to measure changes in pressure distribution as they happen.

That means the app will lay out information about which foot is being favored, whether there's more pressure on the front or rear of each foot, and how weight is being transferred through the ball. Even bulkier, John Daly types are supported by the sensors, with a maximum operating weight of 150 kg (330 lb).

Based on this information, the app provides feedback about what elements of the swing need changing. This data can be backed up by video overlay of the swing, with an option to directly compare that footage with footage of swings from professionals. If that isn't enough, there are detailed breakdowns of how your summaries stack up against a player of your choice.

They might be clever, but Iofit shoes are also designed to be good golf shoes
They might be clever, but Iofit shoes are also designed to be good golf shoes

Having studied the app feedback, there's an option to practice an improved swing, and receive feedback on how consistent those practice swings were. If those practice swings go really well, there's even an option to share them with coaches or friends through the app.

Currently, Iofit is seeking US$30,000 on Kickstarter. Pledges start at $5, but early birds will need to fork out $189 to get their hands on a pair of Iofit shoes. Pledging $380 will get you two pairs, with big pledges connected to big quantities. Two different designs are available, one with a sportier look, and another with a fancy pattern for golfers with fancier tastes. If all goes as planned, shoes will be shipped from February 2017.

Source: Iofit

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