Samsung Electronics recently began working with a Creative Lab project for one of their first official spin-off startups. The startup team developed the IOFIT smart golf shoes, a pair of trainers that help golfers improve smarter and faster while maintaining player enjoyment.
“In the past, the only way for golfers to get professional feedback on their swing was to hire a coach or purchase equipment that costs thousands of dollars,” IOFIT CEO and Co-founder Jacob Cho told Business Wire. ”Now, with just a pair of shoes and an app, golfers can quickly and smartly improve their game while having fun.”
The IOFIT guides users in understanding their personalized feedback, giving advice on if they are simply leaning forward or back too much, transitioning unnecessary weight on the impact and during the swing. The shoe’s waterproof sensors were ultimately designed to detect slight changes in the pressure distribution in a matter of milliseconds.
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This shoe can communicate with users via Bluetooth through their IOS or Android app that includes optional video syncing capabilities, a professional swing library, and many other features to help track progress. The shoe even allows you to send your analyzed data and videos to peers and coaches, allowing users to develop their game even off of the course.
It is no surprise the pair of shoes have garnered plenty of backers on Kickstarter. The project has already collected about $47,000 in donations, over 150% more than their initial goal of $30,000.
“It made sense for us to launch a product like IOFIT on Kickstarter because of its strong global community of innovators and technologists,” continued Cho. “We brought a very experienced product development team together from leading companies like Samsung and PING to fulfill our mission to empower golfers with meaningful data.”
The shoe’s ability to act as a virtual coach for lay users hopes to one day create a generation of golf enthusiasts ready to improve their golf swing and overall balance on the course.