Students build sock that turns music into vibrations to help Parkinson's patients walk

Six students from Italy’s Polytechnic University of Milan have developed Orpheus, a smart sock designed to help people with Parkinson’s disease overcome freezing gait, a condition that can suddenly make walking difficult. The sock turns users' favourite music into gentle foot vibrations, giving subtle cues to keep them moving. Orpheus has won the 2026 James Dyson Award in Italy.