Sneakers fully loaded with GPS technology

[Kadie]

Sneakers fully loaded with GPS technology


The Associated Press
February 06. 2007 6:01AM

Isaac Daniel calls the tiny Global Positioning System chip he's embedded into a line of sneakers "peace of mind."

He wished his 8-year-old son had been wearing them when he got a call from his school in 2002 saying the boy was missing. The worried father hopped a flight to Atlanta from New York where he had been on business to find it had been a miscommunication and his son was safe.

Days later, the engineer started working on the prototype, Quantum Satellite Technology, a $325-$350 sneaker hitting shelves in March that promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button.

snip...
The shoe works when the wearer presses a button to activate the GPS. The call is fielded by the company's 24-hour monitoring system, which costs an additional $19.95 a month. In case of an emergency, where a patient with Alzheimer's or a child is missing and doesn't press the button, Daniel says a parent, spouse or guardian can call the monitoring system, give their password and operators can activate the GPS.

The shoe is not meant for tracking purposes - to find out if a teen is really at the library or a spouse is really on a business trip - but is strictly for emergency use, Daniel said.

Once the wearer presses the button, they have about six hours until the battery runs out.

more...
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/BUSINESS/70205030

http://gsimg.ny.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=GS&Date=20070206&Category=BUSINESS&ArtNo=70205030&Ref=AR&MaxW=300




Issac Daniel sits in his office wearing sneakers he designed, which include a tiny Global Positioning System embedded in the shoe, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007, in Miami. The Quantum Satellite Technology promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

[niyad]

1. how soon before this sort of thing becomes mandatory for everyone?

[Lerkfish]

4. how soon before it happens and they don't tell us at all?

[Rosemary2205]

2. Amazing. I LOVE this!!

I have a parent with dementia who wandered off from their assisted living and it took us 2 days to track my dad down. Hiding this kind of thing in clothing or jewelry is a godsend. No it isn't for everyone and yet the 1984 crowd is bound to have a fit and yes a child kidnapper can just yank the shoes off a kid and leave them behind.

But there is a use for this technology. A valuable use.

[Drifter]

5. Indeed ...

it can be a great asset for cases like you describe where foul play is not part of the picture.

My comments below are directed toward using this a protective measure for their children.

Cheers
Drifter

[Drifter]

3. It won't work ...

The first thing that a kidnapper will do is get rid of the childs clothing. Or worse if a target is chosen because of their lack of such a device.

Sorry this has the potential to do far Far FAR more harm than good (in the form of abuses). Spying on people, etc.

Cheers
Drifter

[longship]

6. That's nothing.

Just wait for Trojan to complete their GPS condom development.

Myself, I can't wait.
:evilgrin:

[The2ndWheel]

7. Now this is equality

A black man helping to further the surveillance society. Maybe we can even catch the UK one day. Hope so :patriot:

Tracking purposes? That's ridiculous. That could never happen.