Joy Slippers Version 2

These slippers have 4 analog pressure sensors embedded. They can be used to feed Up, Down, Left and Right values into your computer replacing your mouse, joystick...

Visit the JoySlippers website >> http://www.joyslippers.plusea.at/

This Instructable improves upon the previous version http://www.instructables.com/id/Joy-Slippers/.
It will show you how to make a pair of Joy Slippers, connect them to an Arduino physical computing platform and run a Processing application that will allow you to draw with your feet, as seen in the following video.

The resistance range of the pressure sensors depends a lot on the initial pressure. Ideally you have above 2M ohm resistance between both contacts when the sensor is lying flat. But this can vary, depending on how the sensor is sewn and how big the overlap of the adjacent conductive surfaces are. This is why i choose to sew the contacts as diagonal stitches of conductive thread - to minimize the overlap of conductive surface. With the pressure sensors inside the JoySlippers, the initial pressure from simply wearing them, brings the resistance down to about 2K ohm and then when fully pressured by standing on the foot it goes down to about 200 ohm.

The next step (for me) is to find better applications for the Joy Slippers. The videos of the drawing application show that certain motions create certain patterns, meaning that they can be tracked.
I'm experimenting with some ideas for applications that make use of this and would appreciate any feedback, comments, ideas...

For more videos visit the YouTube Joy Slippers playlist

For more pictures visit the Flickr Joy Slipperes set
http://flickr.com/photos/64586501@N00/sets/72157603880355045/

Materials
The materials that you will need are simple, but it's probably not all stuff you have lying around your house. It comes cheap if you plan on using the materials for future projects, especially if you are interested in wearable technology or soft circuits.

So, how does it work?
The layering of conductive and ex-static in the slipper's soles creates very very simple variable resistors that are pressure sensitive. The layer of ex-static plastic between your conductive thread patches allows for more current to pass through, the harder you push the conductive layers together. I'm not 100% sure why it works, but it does, and it is amazingly stable. So by shifting your weight from left to right and tiptoe to heel you can generate pretty much every direction.

For up-to-date information visit the project website >>
http://www.plusea.at/projects.php?cat=1&work=14

Step 1: Materials and tools

MATERIALS for the Joy Slippers:
- Conductive thread - 117/17 2ply (17USD from www.sparkfun.com)
- Ex-static - plastic from the black bags used to package sensitive electronic components
- 6 mm thick neoprene with jersey on both sides (ask at a local surf shop for leftovers, or if you live in Europe and plan to use neoprene for other things, get a sheet from www.sedochemicals.com)
- Stretchy fabric (you can also use a pair of old socks if you don't feel like sewing so much)
- Regular thread
- Perfboard with copper line pattern (7x3 holes 6.25USD from www.allelectronics.com)
- 50ft Spiral telephone wire (1.99USD at 99cent store)

MATERIALS to make Arduino connection:
- 4 x 10K Ohm resistor
- Perfboard with copper line pattern (6x6 holes)
- 15cm of rainbow wire with 6 cables
- 2 telephone jack outlets (5 for 1.50USD at 99cent store)
- Tupperware box or similar
- Solder
- Superglue

- Arduino USB Board (35USD from www.sparkfun.com)
- USB cable (4USD from www.sparkfun.com)
- Laptop or computer (hopefully you have one, or can borrow one)
- Processing installed on your computer (download free from www.processing.org)
- Arduino software installed on your computer (download free from www.arduino.cc)

TOOLS you will need:
- Sewing needle
- Scissors
- Cutter
- Ruler
- Pen and paper or cardboard
- Your feet

- Multimeter for checking your work
- Soldering iron
- Third hand
- Pliers or some kind of wire cutter
(- Bread-board)

SKILLS required:
You will need to be able to solder. Soldering is not hard and there is a nice Instructable right here: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-solder/

You will need to know how to use the Arduino software environment, in order to upload following code to your microcontroller. It will read the first 4 analog inputs and receive them via USB.
www.plusea.at/downloads/_080201_Read_4AnalogIN.zip

Following Processing application will read the incoming values from the Arduino's inputs and use the information to draw a line.
Input will be read as follows:
Analog INPUT [0] = Right foot TOES
Analog INPUT [1] = Right foot HEEL
Analog INPUT [2] = Left foot TOES
Analog INPUT [3] = Left foot HEEL
_080209_JoySlippers_etchAsketch.zip www.plusea.at/downloads/ _080209_JoySlippers_etchAsketch.zip

Comments

[omalachowski]

These are so fun! They look really cool too, I like the curly cables look.

I'm sure you've thought of it already, but I think this would be a fun controller for MIDI music or rhythm sounds. You could rig a kick drum and hi-hat to simulate a real drum kit's pedals, or just have some crazy sounds created based on the velocity and attack. I'm sure there's someone out here who can create a program to take your data and turn it into MIDI. You may also be able to trigger parts of a loop, so that the faster you step, the faster the loop plays!

You could stomp your feet to make the beat!
-Olaf

[everyday im shuffling, except fridays, i got to get down on friday]

you should make a glove that does the same thing, for example your palm works at moving the mouse, while your index and middle finger acts as the right and left buttons

[cbaron3]

At least you made me laugh. Very Funny.

[ncups]

Very creative. Keep inventing you make really cool stuff.

[Nelyan]

I JUST GOT THE BEST IDEA! Dance Dance Revolution-slippers! (Only thing needed is to learn to step the front and the back buttons in the game with the specified feet.)

Think of all the cool moves you would be able to make when the only needed thing is to step on the right part of the right foot when the arrows come in the game.

[Wicken]

This is a lovely idea. I'm just starting out, but I would love to get to where I can make something that gives feedback (noise, vibration, etc) for a friend's son who is blind and profoundly autistic. He would be thrilled with slippers that let him jump around and "mix" his favourite house music or something. Music is one of his favourite things. Thanks for the inspiration!

[audreyobscura]

Hi there,

the links to the code are invalid... do you think you could re post them? thank you.

[rhoaste]

I'm completely immersed in cyberspace.
I'm there.

[windrago]

I would like to use some parts of this project to detect the shape of the foot - the movements are not as important for what I have in mind. Do you think that that is possible?

I'm a professional athlete and I'm trying to collect information about the impact that my shoes have on my performance (later I'll deal with movements too).

My programming skills are pretty strong but I can't claim the same when it comes to electrons and circuits. Therefore I'm trying to learn the minimal that I need to build the proto so I can cross and validate the data that the hardware you have put together will collect.

btw - you're awesome, I love your tutorials!

[Plusea]

hi. yes, i think these pressure sensors would work to detect the shape of the foot in a kind of pressure/height map. the only issue will be to fine a good range, where the pressure inside the shoe matches that sensitivity of the sensors. meaning you can detect difference between the hardest and softest pressure and everything in between. i reccomend also replacing the velostat with some stretchy piezo-resistive fabric from eeonyx. try contacting them and asking for samples of their EeonTex RL-5-137 SL-PA fabric or if you can purchase a small amount at a good price >> www.eeonyx.com
and then you'll have to play with number of layers of eeonyx fabric and size of conductive stitches to get a good sensitivity/resolution. good luck! and i'd love to see what your results look like:-)

[windrago]

 you're awesome as usual! Great tips and yes I'll definitely ping back when I have something to share. Thx again Plusea!

[D.L.H.]

Never seen this before looks very interesting. Are there any problems that I need to worry about because this ible is really creative and awesome.

[zephyrbunny]

These are great. I tried to get the zip files of the arduino & processing programs but I get this message: "Sehr geehrter Besucher, leider ist ein Fehler aufgetreten: Die gewünschte Seite wurde nicht gefunden. Haben Sie sich vielleicht vertippt oder eine alte URL aufgerufen? Wenn nicht, informieren Sie bitte den Webmaster dieser Homepage per Email. Um zu der vorherigen Seite zurückzukehren, verwenden Sie bitte einfach die "Zurück" - Taste Ihres Browsers. " I'm guessing it means it can't be found...

[Plusea]

OH NO. this happens to me everytime i try to clean up my folders. i've updated the links in the Instructable as well as some of the instructions in the text. hope everything works now:-)

[zephyrbunny]

great, thanks!

[Benwa]

A simple game would be a version of Simon. That memory game with the lights and tones you have to match. Or maybe a 3d first person version of Frogger where you have to get thru traffic without getting clobbered. My cynical side can see some gaming company picking up on it and developing a game called "Go For A Walk". Where you fire up the gaming console and 'go for a walk', rather than actually... going for a walk! A sad game that just turns us into even more of Fahrenheit 451esque shut-ins. "EA Games brings you Go For A Walk. Because the world is a dangerous place with boogie men, pedophiles and rapists around every corner. Don't Get Dead, Go For A Walk!" The slippers also have music potential. With the four sensors, played singly or in combination, you get a fairly wide range of notes. I don't know how many because I suck at math and I have no desire to not suck at math. I'm sure some math lovers on the site can figure it out. Or you can use the pressure sensitive properties to bend pitch and adjust volume. Making a "foot theremin" (yes I know its not a true theremin because it uses physical contact). Yeah, using it to help disabled people would be nice. And its practical and noble. But I like the artsy fartsy potential. We need more toys and fun and creativity and the pursuit of the totally ridiculous. When I do something and people say I'm a geek/dork/goofy and they get embarassed to be around me, that usually means I'm on the right track. Changing the world one spectacularly ridiculous step at a time. (Thats a good slogan for your slippers!)

[Plusea]

hi benwa, thanks for the nice detailed comment and ideas. you're right it is a sticky situation not to get caught up re-creating the real. i don't like the idea of a virtual walk, unless it offers something that doesn't exist in real life. so what i'm interested in now is creating a new kind of spacial perception by giving feedback to the wearer and letting them explore. for this i plan on using a wireless version of the slippers, escaping visual feedback. and i'm hoping that as soon as i get started, it will lead to even more interesting experimental places.

[DELETED_evilfrogie]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

dear evilfrogie, it seems the board you ordered allows for serial communication to and from the arduino stamp and is not a full arduino with in/outputs. i think if you also get/have the arduino stamp, then you will be able to get 4 (and more) serial inputs and even outputs for feedback if you like. but because i have not worked with this setup (yet) i'm not 100% sure. the arduino i use in my project is the Arduino USB Board (sorry my mistake). but if you have any more specific questions please ask and i can try to figure things out too. as i should.

[DELETED_evilfrogie]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

Great!
I'm working on a wireless version right now, where i use XBees but i till kind of like the telephone cable version. especially for the drawing application it kind of makes sense anyway. so i am also working on an "enhanced" version of this with vibration feedback, though this means one needs coiled wire with more than 4 conductors.

[the.russkey]

Aren't Xbees supposed to be used for low duty cycle sensors, in which case, wouldn't it make more sense to use something like bluetooth? Great idea, anyway!

[Plusea]

I don't quite know what you mean with low duty cycle sensors? but advantages of the xbee over bluetooth are that they are cheaper and have a further range, plus hopefully i can send and receive data directly via one if the in/output pins, without having a microcontroller in between.

[the.russkey]

wow, i did not realize that the Xbee was so powerful. I thought it was simply a wireless connection, but looking over the user manual, i see that it supports digital and analog io.

[DELETED_evilfrogie]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

i use neoprene with jersey on both sides because it is practical for being able to use fusible (iron-on fabric heat glue) and also because it feels much nicer against the skin (foot sole) than glatthaut neoprene itself. it is also easier for stitching the conductive thread into, because without it the thread often cuts though the neoprene. another thing to try would be to sew the Inputs or the VCC onto a regular piece of fabric and then glue this onto the neoprene/other squishy material. neoprene, basically it is just a squishy material that feels good under the foot and is easy to sew into (protects and isolates the conductive threads from one-another).

[DELETED_evilfrogie]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

what kind of neoprene do you have? it would be good to have jersey fused to at least one side for stitching the conductive thread.

[DELETED_evilfrogie]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

normally neoprene comes either glatthaut (smooth skinned) or offenzellig (open pores). if the neoprene you have is sponge like then it would probably be best to stitch the conductive thread into a piece of stretchy fabric first and then glue it to the neoprene with a stretchy or rubbery kind of glue. if the neoprene has smooth surfaces then maybe it will work to sew directly into it (though i think the stitches might tear at the neoprene if you pull hard while sewing or through wear later on). also it is just much nicer against the skin to have jersey or some other fabric, but of course you can also just wear socks. let me know how it is working for you, i'd be interested very to see your results.

[catkinson54]

Hi,

Where can you buy neoprene? I have looked for it before and not been able to find any.

Thanks.

[WoodWinds]

I didn't get to read/view all of the steps of this since I'm on a slow connection. Please don't think me lazy by asking instead of reading: Have you looked into having these slippers made available to people who don't have arms/hands, or at least don't have the use of their arms/hands. For that matter, you could apply for a US Government grant to continue your development if you could make your system(s) available to the handicapped/paralyzed. IMHO, Artsy-fartsy expressionism is great, but humanitarian use is better!

[Plusea]

You're right, developing systems for the handicapped is an great and interesting field to work in.

[joofalltrades]

Wonderful Job! I really feel like your Instructable, and other technologies based on it, could have a major effect on society. I wrote you up on my blog, Jo-Of-All-Trades

[Plusea]

Thanks for posting, I like what you wrote!

[xlogik]

Great Work! This would be a great application for unintrusive Wireless Health Monitoring also!

[Skor459]

Very cool instructable. Another fun project might be to put small speakers on the shoes and make them make a different sound for each part of the foot you step on. It would get pretty annoying eventually, but might be fun for a start.

[Plusea]

I've been thinking a lot about non-visual feedback, escaping projections and screens... Embedding some tiny force feedback motors will be a next step. And maybe they tickle, that would be great.

[DELETED_lsloan]

(removed by author or community request)

[Plusea]

True, that is the next step. And I'm actually waiting for a Bluetooth module to arrive next week.