Addidas has a shoe with a game controller, Good or Bad?

Cool Technology, printables

This shoe is a new “augmented reality” sneaker that you have to hold in front of your webcam in order to play special online games. Games are in development. Personally I can’t see EVER buying one of these shoes! I can’t even see my kids asking for one of these shoes. I CAN see these being banned in schools, but in reality what sort of games can you play on them. From the sounds of the games you need to scan the AR Code on the tongue of the sneaker from your webcam and then the sneakers need to stay in view of the webcam throughout the game.

I do think Kinect is pretty cool, but it gets kids moving. This is the way to add a controller to a computer game…. that has to be in view of the webcam – a controller mind you that is on your foot. Most webcams are on top of the computer so that should make for some interesting gymnastics. Game of online Twister anyone?

I’m curious is anyone sees uses for this in the future? I can on the other hand see a use for print your own controller! That would be useful and marketable. Add a QR code that games can scan, and you can make your own keyboard or game controller to go with any game. No worry about losing the controller (or spilling soda in it), you can just print a new one…

[Each shoe will come] printed with an AR code on the tongue. When you hold the code in front of your webcam, you’ll gain access to a virtual version of the adidas Originals Neighborhood. Each month between February and April, we’ll launch a new interactive game within the Neighborhood and your shoe will be the game controller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsTxpouPCMc

Thoughts?