Who could forget that iconic scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy clicks the heels of her ruby slippers three times and is magically transported back home to Kansas?
Well, iStrategyLabs, a Washington, D.C.-based creative agency, is working on making that a reality with the creation of a high-tech device that calls a car service after the wearer clicks her heels together three times. Here’s how it works: a smartphone app (fittingly named Dorothy) links with a GPS-enabled device featuring a built-in accelerometer (dubbed Ruby) that clips into shoes. The pairing connects via Bluetooth technology. When it receives three spikes of data in a short window of time it prompts an action like calling the car service, Uber, or texting the wearer’s location to select contacts.
“We were excited by the challenge of using the power of your smartphone without pulling it out of your bag,” says DJ Saul, chief marketing officer and managing director of iStrategyLabs, who adds that simply walking around won’t trigger an unwanted call. For now, the agency is working out how to make the prototype smaller so it can potentially be built into an insole, as well as figuring out how to make it order a pizza or assist in public safety. Saul says the wearable technology could be ready for retail as soon as this spring.
