Spotlight on smart shoes at CES 2018

From IoT-enabled running shoes to fall-detecting sneakers, smart footwear drew attention at CES 2018.

Innovations in smart shoes have been gaining traction in recent years as more companies are taking notice on the reliability of the feet in monitoring steps, distance and related metrics.

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2018) in Las Vegas, several fitness tech and footwear firms have joined forces to launch a range of intelligent footwear catering to different needs.

Among those that drew crowds are the IoT-enabled barefoot shoes from Sensoria and Vivobarefoot. Although the footwear is not the first internet-connected kicks (Samsung and Salted Venture them to that), it is the first barefoot shoes with such capability.

The smart running shoes integrate Sensoria's Core technology in the footwear's pressuring-sensing ultrathin soles, enabling it to track relevant metrics, including cadence, foot landing and forces exerted by the runner. It then streams the data to the accompanying smartphone app, which provides detailed feedback to help users improve running technique and reduce the risk of injury.

France-based E-vone, meanwhile, has unveiled a collection of smart shoes with fall detection feature, designed not just for the elderly, but for also workers and outdoor enthusiasts. Once triggered, the kicks send alert messages automatically to designated contacts or emergency services.

The intelligent footwear supports GSM for communicating in more than 120 countries. It is also equipped with a GPS/LoRA antenna, accelerometer and gyroscope, and comes in 26 different styles. E-vone smart shoes are already available in France, where they can be rented for 30 euros monthly. The fee includes access to the notification service.

Also making a debut at the CES 2018 are Under Armour's third-generation smart shoes series, the Hovr Phantom and Hovr Sonic. Much like the US athletic footwear brand's previous smart sneaker offerings, the latest models are embedded with sensors that monitors running metrics such as distance, stride length and cadence.

The shoes' modules are activated automatically by motion and sync with a smartphone via the company's MapMyRun app. The sneakers also come with on-board storage, allowing users to run without their phones and stream the data later. The footwear is available for retail in the US. A pair goes for $100 to $150.

Another collaboration, this time between Sensoria and Italy-based Optima Molter, turned heads at the exhibition. The Motus Smart, dubbed as the world's first smart diabetic footwear, is a pair of intelligent boots that monitors a patient's rehabilitation compliance with the clinician's prescribed mechanical offloading protocol. The shoes are said to help manage diabetic foot ulceration and prevents amputations from becoming medically necessary. The release date and pricing have yet to be announced.

Experts believe that the smart footwear market is primed for rapid growth driven by advancements in wearable technology and the growing aging population, which shaping up the future of health care. According to a study from ABI Research, more than 6 million smart shoes are expected to ship in 2021, up from the 300,000 units in 2016. This represents a CAGR of 82 percent.

Already several large tech firms and sneaker brands have dipped their toes in the industry, releasing shoes that can lace themselves up, and track muscle fatigue, boast warming capability and run on powerful processors.