Footwear for use in connection with teaching

Abstract

The present application is generally directed to an arrangement of first and second articles of footwear which may be used in a system or method for teaching a user a plurality of individual units according to a predetermined order. The arrangement is configured to sense movement of the feet of a user and to provide one of the individual units in response to each movement sensed of the first and second foot of a user. In an exemplary form, the arrangement may provide to the user, in proper order, the letters of the alphabet as the user walks or moves while wearing the articles of footwear.

1 . A system for teaching, comprising:
 an arrangement of a first article configured to be worn on a first foot of a user and a second article configured to be worn on a second foot of the user, wherein each of the first and second articles includes:
 a sensor configured to detect movement of the respective foot of the user and provide a corresponding sensor signal; 
 a controller configured to provide an output signal in response to the sensor signal; 
 a storage medium for storing a plurality of individual units in a predetermined order, the storage medium being configured to provide one of the individual units in an audible format in response to the output signal; and 
 a speaker configured to broadcast the individual unit to the user; and 
   wherein the arrangement of the first and second articles successively broadcasts one of the individual units to the user according to the predetermined order in response to each movement sensed of the first foot and the second foot of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller of the first article is wirelessly connected with the controller of the second article. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller of the first article and the second article are configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a first unit of the predetermined order in response to an initial movement of one of the first foot or the second foot of the user being sensed by the respective article. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the initial movement and each subsequent movement of one of the first foot or the second foot of the user, the controller of each of the first article and the second article is configured to:
 respond to each movement sensed by the respective article of footwear by incrementing to the next unit of the predetermined order to provide an output signal corresponding to the next unit of the predetermined order in response to the next movement sensed;   wirelessly transmit to the controller of the other article an incrementing signal instructing the other controller to increment to the next unit of the predetermined order; and   increment to the next unit of the predetermined order in response to the incrementing signal if the movement of the user was not sensed by the respective article.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second articles includes a reset button coupled with its respective controller, said controller being responsive to activation of the reset button to restart the output signal to correspond to the first unit of the predetermined order in response to the first movement sensed after activation of the reset button. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to provide the sensor signal in response to detecting a change in the weight of the user distributed to a respective foot. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second articles are selected from the group consisting of socks, sandals, shoes, slippers and boots. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the individual units comprise letters of the alphabet and the predetermined order corresponds to the order of the alphabet. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the individual units comprise numbers and the predetermined order corresponds to a sequential order of the numbers. 
     
     
         10 . A system for teaching, comprising:
 an arrangement of a first article of footwear configured to be worn on a first foot of a user and a second article of footwear configured to be worn on a second foot of a user, wherein each of the first and second articles of footwear includes a storage medium for storing a plurality of individual units in a predetermined order and the arrangement of the first and second articles of footwear includes means for broadcasting the individual units to the user according to the predetermined order in response to a series of movement of one or both of the first foot and the second foot of the user.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the individual units comprise numbers and the predetermined order corresponds to a sequential listing of the numbers. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the individual units comprise letters of the alphabet and the predetermined order corresponds to the order of the alphabet. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the individual units are letters and the predetermined order corresponds to the spelling of a word including the letters. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the movement includes alternating movement between the first foot of the user and the second foot of the user. 
     
     
         15 . A method for teaching, comprising:
 providing a first article of footwear configured to be worn on a first foot of a user and a second article of footwear configured to be worn on a second foot of the user, each of the first and second articles of footwear including a sensor configured to detect a movement of the respective foot of the user and a storage medium for storing a plurality of individual units in a predetermined order;   sensing a movement of one or both of the first foot and the second foot of the user with the sensor of the respective article of footwear; and   in response to each movement sensed, successively providing an output to the user corresponding to one of the individual units according to the predetermined order.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said output comprises broadcasting each of the individual units in an audible format. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sensing includes detecting a change in the weight of the user distributed to the respective foot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the movement includes alternating movement between the first foot of the user and the second foot of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second articles of footwear are selected from the group consisting of socks, shoes, slippers, sandals and boots. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising syncing each article of footwear such that each article of footwear is aware of the next unit in the predetermined order.