What could be perfect for the partner, who embarrasses you on the dance floor? Smart socks, which can teach people to dance, may be the answer for anyone with two left feet.
At first, the socks have been developed as a running tool to help runners improve their skills. Thanks to the socks, users can accurately record not only how far and fast they run but also how well. It means the user maximizes their performance, and reduces damage to body and prevents hurt. The hi-tech socks are made of special fibers (纤维) that watch the movements of your feet. They look, feel and can be washed like normal clothes.
Sensors record each movement and send it by an ankle transmitter (脚踝发射器) to a smart phone. Then a “virtual coach” application shows the information and can tell the user what they are doing wrong, and help to improve skill in any task with feet.
The socks should be useful to athletes and weekend joggers. “People think running is so easy and of course everybody can do it but not necessarily safely and well,” Dr Davide Vigano said. A recent study showed that between 60 and 80 percent of runners got hurt per year. This is petty much more than any other human activity. Researchers say the technology can also be developed to teach people how to dance, play sports such as golf, or even to help to teach women to walk better in high heels.
Mr. Vigano said, “People could all benefit from the idea. We have had interest from all sorts of sports, like skiing, football, cycling and golf. Anything where you have to use your feet can use it. It could even be put in high heels to help women walk in them safely.”
Socks are just the start, and the technology could be used in gloves, hats and bots. The socks, anklet and software package, are expected to be sold for around £120, which will go on sale in March.
【小题1】What does the underlined part “anyone with two left feet” refer to in paragraph 1?| A．People who are disabled. | B．People who do not like dancing. |
| C．People who are good at dancing. | D．People who are poor at dancing. |
| A．To help women walk safely. | B．To teach people to dance. |
| C．To improve runners’ performance | D．To record dance movement. |
| A．They are expensive to produce. |
| B．They can monitor the movement of feet. |
| C．They feel much softer than normal clothes. |
| D．They should be washed in a special washing machine |
| A．The technology could bring a potential market. |
| B．All people can run safely and well thanks to the socks. |
| C．The technology has been widely used in all sorts of sports. |
| D．Only professional athletes can benefit from the technology. |
