VitaBoot: footwear with dynamic graphical patterning

VitaBoot is a footwear concept incorporating dynamic graphical patterns which indicate the wearer's activity level. Whilst shoes are an important element in fashion wear and a lot of research has focused on shoes as input devices, comparable few concepts have explored the potential for their use as an output space. We created a boot design that incorporates dynamic patterning through the use of electrochromic (EC) displays embedded in the surface material. The boot was designed and constructed from scratch, using a faux leather material, ensuring the overall aesthetic of the design, including the integration of the required control electronics and power source. The boot connects wirelessly to a chest-worn heart rate belt, and pattern changes indicate when the wearer's heart rate is above a predefined threshold. VitaBoot demonstrates the potential for dynamic shoe patterning for aesthetic or functional means, and the suitability of flexible, low-power EC display technology in this domain.