Auto Check-Ins With Nike+ And Foursquare

If anyone can make wearable computing cool, it’s Nike, MobileBehavior claims. The world-famous sports brand created the famous Nike+, a connected running shoe which enables users to track their running progress and compile a “quantified self”. In order to take Nike+ to the next level, several designers make attempts to turn the service inside out and reprogram it in ways that open up new opportunities. One of these projects is Casey Halverson’s setup which lets him to automatically check-in to a venue on Foursquare by just walking in the front door.

Halverson’s frustration about Foursquare or any other venue check-in application, is having to remember to actually check-in when you arrive at some place. This led him to develop a prototype of a Nike shoe check-in plugin for Foursquare. Instead of having to lug around your laptop, or connect to the local WiFi, you could also have your Nike shoes (or sensor in generic shoes) check in for you.

“The backend device would need to be located in the venue, but it is internet-independent, low power, and can be located anywhere in the world. (…) Currently, its on an electronics bread board and rather bulky, and it talks to Foursquare directly…but it (mostly) works.”