Self-charging smart boots track construction safety

Various sensors, GPS, Wi-Fi powered by energy harnessed from wearer’s steps

PITTSBURGH— At first glance, there’s nothing remarkable about SolePower’s latest workboot prototype.

The Pittsburgh-based startup’s footwear looks normal — all black save for the company’s logo.

But after a few steps, rectangular sections in the heels illuminate a bright orange, reminiscent of the lights inside a traffic tunnel. That’s when you know they’re charging.

To tackle ongoing issues in the industrial work space, SolePower — which has won various awards, including a spot on Popular Science’s 2014 Invention Awards list for its proprietary self-charging shoe sole — has switched gears to create the first “self-charging, industrial wearable,” according to commercial director Cindy Kerr.

This unplugged technology could play a role in efforts to improve safety and efficiency in the building, construction, and oil and gas industries, Kerr said.

Inside the SolePower boots are a variety of sensors, including those for temperature detection, GPS, WiFi, electronics and inertial measurement units, which track location and motion. Each is powered by a kinetic charger that harnesses the untapped energy produced by walking.

“These are things we normally take for granted in a smartphone,” said Hahna Alexander, co-founder and CEO of SolePower, which was founded in 2012 and has five employees.

A growing number of industrial devices are equipped with safety indicators — such as equipment producer Cat’s Link technology, which allows a company to track its fleet of backhoes, excavators or compactors — but the SolePower gear is a wearable, joining the ranks of smart helmets, vests, glasses and even bionic suits.