Untied shoelaces cause accidents, but Jordan and Sasha Meschkow have the
answer in the shape of a “pillbox” that sits on the tongue of your shoe (WO
01/71690). When laces are threaded through the eyelets, they pass over a
pressure switch and optical sensor in the pillbox. The sensor checks that the
laces are tied, and the switch senses how tight the lace is. If the lace comes
loose, a light flashes or a buzzer sounds. This gives adults an early warning in
case a child’s laces are becoming untied—or if they have not been tied at
all. The sensor silences the alarm when the laces are completely unthreaded or
the shoes are taken off.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Google shouldn’t be pressuring schools to use its AI
91ɫÇéƬ
Technology
Australia’s social media ban faces high court challenge
News
Technology
The nuclear waste repository in Finland designed to outlast modern civilisation
Features
Technology
How did the biggest crypto heist in history just happen?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles