The UKs leading bird research organisation, The British Trust for Ornithology has today unveiled remarkable new developments in the fusion zone between fashion and technology which could revolutionalise bird monitoring across the globe. In an extraordinary move, the charity has unveiled plans to produce a range of GPS-guided footwear which will draw on the Trust's enormous database of bird sightings to guide wearers to rare birds. Not only will the footwear automatically guide the wearer to the precise location of interesting birds but electrical pulses delivered to the soles of the feet will be able to set the speed of walking or running depending on the rarity status of the bird.

According to Dr Ieuan Evans, head of the charitys Fashion in Birders Unit (FIBU), the charity has used cutting edge science to combine climate change modelling with footwear consumer data to produce abundance change and range expansion forecasts across a range of footwear types. Our latest science research shows a strong trend towards greatly increased sandal usage spreading from the south-east into the north-west over the course of the next 5-10 years. This data, combined with the rise of 'geek chic' allows us to focus first on sandals with further developments aimed at wellies, crocs and eventually all footwear models. Whats even more exciting is that future-gazing has suggested we might take this a step further with GPS input seamlessly combined with stimulation arrays embedded into macks and cagoules which would ensure the wearer lifts their binoculars to the correct position in order to see the birds located by the sandals.

for further details see www.bto.org