Sexy GPS Shoes at Eyebeam

Here is a blurb from the site

The Aphrodite Project LLC is pleased to announce the launch of Platforms, a new line of footware specifically designed for sex work. Platforms are both an homage to Aphrodite and her prostitute-priestesses as well as a practical tool for the contemporary sex worker. With Platforms, we have created a seamlessly integrated system of shoes and online services. Our shoes use the latest technology to bring sex workers on par with other public workers, whose lives are valued highly because they work in dangerous professions that serve the needs of the community.

With the push of a button, these 'safety' shoes can send emergency help messages to several desired recipients. They also include other utilitarian features such as an "audible alarm system", a "hidden safety compartment", and a connection to a shared "problem client blog".

The shoes are rigged with a customized version of Rave Wireless's Rave Guardian and a GPS system, anabling the user/wearer these tools:

• With the press of a button, you can send an emergency signal to sex workers rights groups and/or the police with your location.


• This helps to eliminate the “consensual” argument - if it was consensual, you wouldn’t have pressed the emergency button.
  
Sending the signal to sex workers rights groups allows them to monitor the police.

• If the police don’t show up, both you and the sex workers rights group have a record of your call, and police negligence.
  
You choose who gets to see the signal and who doesn’t, and you can turn the tracking off at any time.

• It’s not just for help -- you can also use the GPS system to locate your friends and co-workers.


• This technology is gaining widespread acceptance on college campuses across the country. Rave Wireless's Rave Guardian, allows students that feel unsafe to use their mobile phone as a personal alarm device. Students initiate a timer on their mobile phone. If the timer expires before the student turns it off, Rave Guardian uses the e911 infrastructure to locate the phone and let local authorities know to check on the student. Learn more about Rave Wireless at www.ravewireless.com or email [email protected].

This stimulates me to think about stuff like, GPS+DDR & downloadable custom alarm 'ringtones' for the shoes.

If you are in NYC stop by Eyebeam to see what should be a very interesting demo of these shoes:
Eyebeam (www.eyebeam.org)
540 W. 21st St. NYC, May 2-13

Saturday May 13 at Eyebeam:

* 4pm : Platforms panel discussion: Sovereign Whores and Seditious Technology
Moderated by Amanda McDonald Crowley, featuring Krzysztof Wodiczko, Tracy Quan, Natalie Jeremijenko and Melissa Gira

* 4-6pm : Live demo-performance of Platforms shoes
* 6-8pm : Reading and booksigning by Tracy Quan
Melissa Gira presents '30 Second Sex,' a collaborative webcam performance with Anna Voog and Echo Transgression
Music by DJ Natural Sphere
Closing reception

Comments

[IndoorLBS]

THese GPS shoes do not work indoors / inside buildings. How safe is that? THere are local positioning systems (LPS) that do work indoors... http://indoorLBS.com

[jason wilson]

you are right about the indoor gps issues, and a combination of LPS + GPS could be an interesting combo, but it could also simply send off the last known coordinates if none were actually available at the time of the emergency, better than nothing.

[KathyC]

Nice i would love a pair, i wonder how many gigs it has lol