This week, researchers at MIT, Harvard and NASA unveiled the iShoe, a pressure-sensitive insole that detects the unusual weight distribution that heralds balance problems.

The iShoe was originally designed to help astronauts returning from space to reacquaint themselves with Earth's gravity, but the designers quickly identified a larger - and potentially more lucrative - market. The iShoe could detect balance problems in the elderly and identify those most at risk of falls that can easily fracture brittle old bones.

There's a photo of graduate student Erez Lieberman with the iShoe to the right.

A future version of the iShoe could even stimulate the feet, providing feedback and helping patients regain their balance.