Importance

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Abstract

A product, in particular a shoe, apparel, a ball or a fishing lure, incorporating an impact sensing element made from polymeric piezoelectric material. In response to impact, the piezoelectric material generates an electrical signal to a battery-powered light- or sound-emitting unit or to an information display device which is at least partially molded into or contained in the product, thus causing circuitry to energize the light- or sound-emitting device from the battery or to display information on the information display device. In some embodiments involving light-emitting devices such as LEDs, the light is conducted to an outside surface of the product directly through the LED or via one or more optical fibers. A shoe can be provided with numerous light-emitting devices, one or more impact sensing elements, a temperature sensor and appropriate circuitry to process the impact and temperature information. This information is then used to light appropriate light-emitting devices such as to display a bar graph of temperature or force of impact, to light or flash individual light-emitting devices or to activate an information display device. In addition, a microprocessor can be included in the circuitry to provide preprogrammed control of the light emitting devices or to evaluate the input from the impact sensing element and then light the appropriate light emitting device or devices or to control the information displayed on the information display de2vice.

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First Claim