IIT Indore develops electricity-generating, real-time tracking shoes for soldiers

Indore: In a groundbreaking development aimed at enhancing the safety and efficiency of armed forces personnel, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has designed special shoes equipped with advanced technologies. Officials announced on Tuesday that these shoes can generate electricity and provide real-time location tracking.

According to sources, IIT Indore has delivered the initial batch of 10 pairs of these innovative shoes to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Professor Suhas Joshi, Director of IIT Indore, highlighted that these shoes will significantly enhance the safety, coordination, and effectiveness of Army personnel.

The shoes, developed under the guidance of Professor I A Palani, utilise Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology, allowing them to generate electricity with each step. This electricity is stored in a device embedded in the soles and can power small devices.

Officials added that the shoes are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies, enabling real-time location tracking of personnel.

They further explained that the TENG technology could have applications beyond the military, such as tracking seniors with Alzheimer's, school children, climbers, and monitoring worker attendance and performance in factories.

Officials noted that these shoes can also accurately analyse the movements of athletes, potentially improving their performance.

Agencies