Changing Reality & the Metaverse through One's "Gait": ORPHE's Smart Shoes "EASYRUN SHIBUYA"

The smart shoes from ORPHE Inc., which were worn during collaborations with ANREALAGE and Nogizaka46’s national tour, have evolved once again.

With the mission of "changing the world from the feet up," the company has announced smart shoes that easily collect and analyze walking data by incorporating motion sensors into the soles. This time, the shoes come with an NFT, allowing for easy experiences in the metaverse.

In recent years, wearable devices have allowed anyone to record their daily lives. But what's the appeal of recording "walking"? We talked to the company, which recently announced a collaboration with ASICS and is receiving a lot of attention, about the potential of smart shoes.

"Gait Analysis" by the Orphe Series

To begin with, could you tell us about the background and founding story behind the focus on "walking"?

Our company started from our president Kikukawa's desire to create a new musical instrument during his student days. Originally from a research lab studying interaction design, Kikukawa developed shoes that sensed dance movements and output sound and light.