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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"."

6 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Is it cheating... by stephenisu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Is it cheating to play DDR? (Dance Dance Revolution)

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    Sigs? We don't need no stinking sigs!
  2. If I'd had these when I was a kid... by twocoasttb · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'd have bribed my brother and/or sister to run around in them for me just like I bribed them to sneak into the kitchen and take five or ten minutes off the timer when I was practicing the piano. Of course, if I hadn't been practicing the piano, I would have been running around outside anyway. My parents were very strict about how much T.V. we could watch. Too bad that doesn't happen much anymore...

  3. Re:Shoes on hands by Rob+Carr · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The energy expended by the human body while watching TV is actually less than the energy expended sitting, doing nothing. If this device forces the kids to sit there and shake their foot, it's an improvement.

    I do wonder what this decreased energy expenditure while watching TV says about the ability to think while watching TV....

    No, wait. I don't wonder at all!

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    This sig seemed like a good idea at the time....
  4. Re:Remember Nintendo... by AvantLegion · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Nintendo Power Pad, and World Class Track Meet.

  5. Re:It's not really about enforcement by The+Snowman · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't really see the enforcement in that. It's just a flawed idea to make parenting even easier for those parents that can't be bothered to raise kids. Just like the leap-frog reading things for little kids. Why not just read to your child!?

    I use a Leapfrog with my son, the key word being "with." It is interactive. I talk with him, show him objects on the page, and he touches them and gets even more feedback. The majority of the time, however, is on road trips. If you are stuck in a car with a young child for 10 or more hours at a time you try to find activities where you can put something on his lap in the back seat and keep him occupied. Whether this is a Leapfrog, another toy, or a portable DVD player, it sure helps keep his boredom from turning into a ten hour crying spree.

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    24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not!
  6. Re:Uh... by MicroBerto · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The after school baby sitter (ANY baby sitter) cannot be fully trusted to follow a strict set of television watching rules.

    Ummm... why not? If you're paying a baby sitter, make them enforce the damned rules or get another one.

    Or sign them up for an after-school sport/chess club/activity/whatever. No TV there.

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    Berto