SmartMove – turn any shoe into a fitness tracker

When it comes to fitness trackers, enthusiasm is high when we first start using them, but once the novelty wears off after a couple of months they just become another one of many items to rid themselves to the clutter drawer. Other problems that occur – especially for wrist worn trackers – include accuracy in the form of understanding the users movements, which all in all has to make you question whether they are worth the trouble?

SmartMove plans to break the mould and offer something innovative with their tracker by putting motion detectors at the soles of users feet. The company is currently in a crowd funding process using the website Kickstarter where they are almost 20% funded with 28 days still to go.

SmartMove is a sensor built into an insole, which can track all activity throughout the day with complete accuracy managing to differentiate between sitting, standing, walking, running and cycling. This then pairs up with a smartphone app, which allows the user to track all their daily movements and more specifically their calorie burn rate and exercise history. The insole trackers are run by coin cell batteries which promise to last up to two months and have a backer price of $99, although an official retail cost is not yet known.

The only key issue is that users have to change their insoles throughout different parts of the day, i.e. for the gym in the morning and then work during the day. Is this more hassle than wearing a wrist tracker or using an app?

When it comes to fitness tracking, it’s unlikely there will ever be a product to suit everyone, similarly like there is no workout to suit everyone, it’s all about finding what suits the individual.