Volvorii SmartShoe Uses E-Ink To Change Its Shade and Pattern Design

We're all familiar with smartphones and smartwatches. But have you seen a smartshoe?

Well, they say Volvorii, a project by iShuu that's currently incubating at IndieGogo, is one. Nope, it won't allow you to connect to the internet or to control gadgets inside your house but it has a skin that features an innovative material allowing the owner control how it looks depending on her mood or taste.

Volvorii, SmartShoe

That material is called E-Ink, which is already being used on the displays of E-Book readers and smartbands like the recent one from Sony. Currently, E-Ink screens can only show Black, White, and all shades of Grey, but there's no limit to the patterns or designs that it can display.

Volvorii, SmartShoe

The entire exterior of the Volvorii SmartShoe - apart from the rather thick heel where the control board (housing the Bluetooth connectivity chip and the battery that can be charged wirelessly) is located - is lined with E-Ink. Pairing this 'wearable' with a smartphone, the owner will be able to change the shade or the design of the shoe to match her outfit with just a few clicks. It's a real chameleon of a shoe!

Here's how it works:


A pair of Volvorii will set a girl back $199 -- if and when it sees production. The project needs to crowd-source $50,000 at Indiegogo for it to take off and as of writing, they've already raised $16,690. [source] iShuu has got a long way to go but I hope they meet the amount before their campaign ends on April 12, 2015. I'm personally rooting for this project because if it becomes successful, who knows, they might even work on sneakers for men. I'd totally go for that.