RUNNING FOR THE RUGRATS

MICROCHIPS

A BRITISH ENGINEERING student, Gillian Swain, has devised a special sneaker insole that can restrict kids' TV viewing and encourage them to be active. The more steps the wearer takes, the more TV time he or she earns. Hidden within the "Square Eyes" insole are a pressure sensor and a microprocessor. The sensor records how many steps are taken daily. The chip calculates the data and sends the info to a base station hooked to the television. Ideally, says Swain, a recent graduate of Brunel University's School of Engineering and Design, teens should take at least 12,000 steps a day and watch no more than two hours of television. So for every 100 steps they take, the insole lets them earn one minute of TV time. If they reach 12,000 steps, they'll earn their full allotment of two hours in front of the tube. The base station controls the television and shuts it off once all earned time is spent. With obesity rates on the rise, Swain hopes the gadget will help families more fully appreciate the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle. Fat chance. -TG

Copyright American Society for Engineering Education Sep 2005
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