This intermediate tutorial turns your Chuck Taylors into wearable weather reporters in just 4 hours. Converse Beacon is a DIY hack by Chapter SF featured on Hacktster that uses Arduino, Bluetooth, IFTTT and NeoPixel ring technology to give your sneakers custom weather forecast capabilities.
The lighting addition looks similar to the iconic Converse logo, and fits into the customizable nature of the classic footwear. The light can be programmed to change color depending on the weather conditions. For example, it can glow blue when it's rainy or snowy outside, yellow for sunshine and white when "the surf is firing."
Following the step-by-step instructions posted on the site, you too can make your own shoe weather reporters.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Wearable Technology
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the integration of sensors and smart technology in footwear to create personalized and functional wearable devices.
- Customization
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Capitalize on the demand for personalized products by offering customizable features, such as color-changing lights, in footwear.
- DIY Projects
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Tap into the growing DIY culture by providing tutorials and resources for consumers to transform their existing products into innovative creations.
Sectors Adopting This
- Fashion
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Merge fashion and technology by creating weather-reporting footwear that combines style and functionality.
- Consumer Electronics
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop smart shoe technology that goes beyond weather reporting and offers additional features and services for consumers.
- Online Retail
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create an online platform that caters to DIY enthusiasts, providing a marketplace for DIY projects, tutorials, and resources.
