‘Alphabet daughter Verily is working on shoes with scales and fall detection’

Verily, the life sciences arm of Alphabet, is reportedly working on a prototype smart shoe that measures the wearer’s weight and senses when the user walks and even falls. The company is said to be looking for investors.

The American news medium CNBC reports this on the basis of three sources who are familiar with the project. The medium states that it is unclear whether this project is still active, but meetings to demonstrate the prototype have been held in recent months.

The shoes could especially have an application in the field of health. A sudden increase in body weight can be a sign of heart problems, for example. Fall detection is a solution for elderly people who would not be able to get up after such a fall. That is an application that the latest Apple Watch also has.

Verily has worked in the past on a contact lens that would measure the wearer’s glucose level. However, this project was halted and so it could well be the fate of these shoes. However, the company has developed a smartwatch for clinical research. In addition, the company is working on even more projects.