The footwear industry has conducted all sorts of experiments in the past, including bubbles, springs, space-grade materials, and an endless etcetera. However, that doesn't mean we have seen it all. Let's make a small place for MoonWalker, sneakers with integrated neodymium magnets that aim to simulate the sensation of "walking on the Moon", and an e-ink display on their sole, compatible with social media notifications. Yes, as you read it.
The world of footwear can be quite intimidating. The decision to put something specific on your feet is extremely personal, and the manufacturer must not only obey various trends but also respect the desires of the consumer. On one hand, you can find women who collect hundreds of pairs of shoes, and on the other, there are men with two or three high-quality pairs that they send for repair almost religiously. As expected, footwear and modern electronics have crossed paths more than once, and the concept of the "smart sneaker" is getting closer. What we have here today... let's say it takes us a bit by surprise.
MoonWalker is a project that aims to develop a different pair of sneakers, equipped with a series of N45 neodymium magnets, with the goal of conveying to the user the sensation of walking on the Moon... or at least feeling a little lighter. In MoonWalker's technical description, we discover that the maximum recommended weight is about 130 kilograms, but that's not all. There are actually two versions of the MoonWalker sneakers. The first one is "standard" and has nothing strange beyond the magnets, but the 2.0 version features an e-ink display on the sole, which can be linked to social networks through a mobile app, and receive notifications.
MoonWalker is making its rounds on Indiegogo, and with over a month to go, it has already received 30% of the $20,000 it needs to create a fairly limited number of pairs, I must admit. The original edition of the sneakers is priced at $59, while the 2.0 version with e-ink jumps to $89. In both cases, international shipping will be free, and if everything goes well (by which I mean they don't vanish into thin air), the first deliveries will begin in September 2016.
