This New Sneaker Senses Sonic Vibrations Via Bluetooth
/In 2015, Susan Paley met musician/inventor Brock Seiler at Montana Studios in New York. Seven years prior, Seiler had discovered a spot on the studio’s floor through which he could feel the bass at its strongest, which inspired him to combine audio technology and footwear for the first time. Paley herself was eager to expand upon the concept of feeling music from the ground up, and quickly gathered a team of engineers to help create her new tech company, DropLabs (Seiler soon stepped away from the company to continue developing new technologies).
Today, Nov. 13, DropLabs is releasing its first product: the EP 01, a sneaker that delivers an immersive audio-sensory experience to its wearers.
The trademarked DropLabs Technology converts audio via Bluetooth input into vibrations that stimulate nerve receptors in the feet -- and sync up with whatever audio is playing through headphones, from a song to a movie to a video game.
As with any product launch, Paley -- who has over 20 years of experience in consumer technology, with her most notable position being CEO of Beats by Dre through 2012 -- is anxious to see who the early adopters of this new technology are.