Dorothy summons a cab with a click of your heels

Uber calling wearable shoe accessory also texts your mate and makes bogus calls
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We know we'll be filing this one under 'g' but we're not yet sure if that stands for 'gimmicky' or 'genius'.

The guys at iStrategyLabs have come up with Dorothy - a platform consisting of a smartphone app and a module, called Ruby, which packs Bluetooth connectivity and an accelerometer.

Explainer: What is wearable technology?

The idea is that you clip Ruby onto your shoes and, when you tap your feet together three times (you get the Dorothy moniker now, right?), a predetermined action you've chosen from the app springs into action.

In the demo video, Dorothy is shown off calling a cab using Uber, sending location details to pals and making a fake call when the wearer wants to get out of an awkward date.

The Ruby module is powered by the LightBlue Bean Arduino micro-controller and iStrategyLabs is stating that the finalised version of Dorothy could be two thirds smaller than the prototype demoed, and could even be built right into a smart insole.

Smart insoles are nothing new, of course: the Lechal smartshoe went on sale in India earlier this year, offering fitness tracking sans-bracelet, and the Digitsole connected insole recently hit its crowdfunding target, and features temperature controls as well as activity tracking.

However, we're not sure either are are simplistic in their genius as Dorothy. Or half as gimmicky.

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Paul Lamkin

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Wareable Media Group co-CEO Paul launched Wareable with James Stables in 2014, after working for a variety of the UK's biggest and best consumer tech publications including Pocket-lint, Forbes, Electric Pig, Tech Digest, What Laptop, T3 and has been a judge for the TechRadar Awards. 

Prior to founding Wareable, and subsequently The Ambient, he was the senior editor of MSN Tech and has written for a range of publications.


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