Images viaNo place like home? That’s usually the single probing thought after a long night on the town, or perhaps familiar feeling midway through a very underwhelming date. Not to worry—Dorothy, created by iStrategyLabs, a creative agency based out of DC, is a small device that can be inserted into a shoe and with a click of the heel can get you home in no time. Although still in prototype, Dorothy has the possibility to trigger a fake phone call, text three friends with a custom message and notify them a location, as well as order an Uber.
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Dorothy has also been dubbed a “modern woman's secret weapon.” It provides safety in the case of a dangerous situation without giving any vulnerable clues and serves as an invisible tool to maneuver a plethora of awkward situations. As iStrategyLabs state, the device aims to be “a physical trigger that makes any dumb shoe smart.”The way Dorothy works is through an iOS smartphone application and a small “Ruby” device that communicates via Bluetooth. The app uses AFNetworking to connect to a Node server that then contacts the Twilio API catalyze the desired action. In combination, the Ruby is powered by a LightBlue Bean, which combines a coin cell battery, Arduino micro controller with a Bluetooth chip and an accelerometer, wrapped in a 3D printed casing that mimics the shape of a small gemstone.The size of the Ruby is currently 1.35” x 0.88” x 0.35,” but Dorothy is still in prototype and iStrategyLabs is currently trying to make the device smaller so it can be even more discreet and have universal shoe use. In their article, they state, “We’re currently exploring models as small as 1/3rd of its current size, potentially built into an insole”As a wearable device that can be used for both in-case-of-emergency situations as well as practical matters, it has the potential to be incredibly convenient, accessible and seamlessly integrated. iStrategyLabs hopes that Dorothy will be ready by next spring. We do, too.
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