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New Shoe Designed to Kick-Start Couch Potatoes

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the my-socks-say-I-can-watch-tv dept.

Terremoto writes "A student at west London's Brunel University has developed a shoe with a pedometer that controls the amount of time a TV will remain lit. If sufficient activity has not been achieved the TV remains uncooperative. The device is appropriately named, "Square-Eyes"."

8 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Uh... by nebaz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    First reaction, cute, but what a stupid idea. I won't even go into how this is a technological innovation to enforce parenting, but if you really
    wanted to make sure someone was active instead of watching too much tv, why not hook an exercise bike up to a generator. You can watch tv as long
    as you pedal. This would sour kids on TV pretty quick, or get some exercise out of them. Either way, not a bad idea.

    --
    Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
    1. Re:Uh... by peculiarmethod · · Score: 5, Insightful

      his would sour kids on TV pretty quick, or get some exercise out of them. Either way, not a bad idea.

      Ummmm, no. You will force your kids to then go to their FRIENDS house, where their parents don't force anyone to ride a damn bike to watch the weather channel or MTV. Getting your kids to go away won't make them better people. Education and quality time (excersizing WITH THEM) is the key.. not Pavlovian training.

      --
      ** "It's not my job to stand between the people talking to me, and the ones listening to me." -- Pego the Jerk
    2. Re:Uh... by dotgain · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Ditto. I am a parent of two, and hope there's plenty more people like 'peculiarmethod' still around.

      What is it with high-tech solutions to low-tech problems? I remember being asked (as a sysadmin at my last job) what a guy could do to stop his kid being exposed to naughty stuff on the net. My answer, "Be a parent to your son, not a sysadmin"

  2. Maybe by Bananatree3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If they could somehow program it for those of us who , (guilty) surf the web for hours on end, sitting in front of the computer... Until then, I will continue to wander the net...

  3. Yeah, right. by EnsilZah · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Day one: Wow, look at this new thing i got, it'll motivate me to run. *run run run* *watch TV*
    Day two:*run run* *watch TV*
    Day three: Damn, my favorite show is on but i haven't run enough, i'll disconnect the running thing just this once...
    THE END.

  4. Completely Untrue by heptapod · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the article:
    "Today's children are exposed to a raft of television programmes and children's channels. Ten years ago, children were entertained by playing games with their friends, now they are cooped up in their bedrooms watching hours of television programmes," she said.

    Ten years ago, 1995, kids were pursuing a sedentary lifestyle of watching TV and playing videogames with their friends.

  5. Interesting concept by Sv-Manowar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The idea behind this seems quite good, rewarding exercise with television, but 2 hours for 15,000 steps (both daily recommended amounts, according to the article..) seems a little low. Most kids, even if they take to such a device, are going to be watching more than 2 hours TV a day.

    As for the article's claim that this will be an 'eye-opener' for those with a sedimentary lifestyle, I think it would be more likely to join the realms of exercise equipment old and new that sits unused while its owners procrastinate about getting more exercise.

    --
    Business Voyeur
  6. Won't stop anyone... by derEikopf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If someone has the willpower to wear these shoes and let them control the TV...then he has the willpower to go running anyway.