SXSW is still in full swing, though the Interactive portion is set to conclude tomorrow.  So let’s check out what cool, innovative products made their debut at SXSW.

The shoe for Forever Alones

I frequently spend my spare time on a particular gag site that features various memes such as the Forever Alone rage comic character, which looks like a nut-sack with a face.  And this is what came to mind when I saw Google’s Talking Shoe.

The talking shoe is just a concept, so it won’t likely hit mass production, but if the demand is high, Google might change its mind.  The purpose of the project is to incorporate technology into things we use everyday to help us make better choices.

The talking shoe trailer shows how the shoe encourages the person to keep moving by saying things like “This is super boring,” when the wearer is just sitting on a bench and “I love the feeling of wind in my laces,” when the wearer starts to jog.

The shoe translates movements to messages for the user or his friends via Google+.  The concept of a talking shoe is great when you want to be motivated, starting a new exercise regime, training for a marathon or practicing sports – like having a personal trainer, coach, or pep squad.  One report stated that it can even amp up the game when one team goes head-to-head with a rival and their shoes start trash-talking one another.  That would be an interesting game to see (and hear!).

Forget touchscreens, go for gestures

There’s a lot of buzz regarding touchscreens, especially on laptops, but let’s face it, not everyone can afford to buy a new touchscreen gadget.  Plus, a gesture-based controller can give users a more natural experience.

Enter Leap Motion Controller.  It’s a small device, like a long LEGO brick, that allows you to translate gestures into controls usually performed by mouse and keyboard.  You can use it point, wave, reach, and grab objects on screen, like you do on an actual device.  It connects to your computer or laptop via USB, and the best part about it is that it only costs $79.99.  It’s already available for pre-order and will start shipping on May 13, but you can also wait for May 19 when the Leap Motion Controller is set to land in Best Buy stores nationwide.

“Traditional mouse-and-keyboard navigation has limited our ability to fully harness today’s incredibly powerful computers. Things that are easy to do with our hands in the real world—like molding clay or signing our name—have until now been very difficult to accomplish with a computer. Because the Leap Motion Controller is so much more advanced than existing motion-control technologies, it allows people to interact with their computers using natural hand and finger movements for the very first time. The intuitive nature of Leap Motion’s 3-D motion control allows anyone to fully tap into the power of their computer—it’s the clear next step in human/computer interaction,” said Leap CEO and co-founder Michael Buckwald.

Piracy gets easier with a 3D scanner

I’m sure a lot of brands are getting worried about the tons of 3D printers becoming available and affordable in the market, as it makes it easier for people to replicate branded products.  Not everyone can easily learn to use 3D software such as CAD, so the threat is at bay, but not for long.

MakerBot unveiled the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner at SXSW, which makes it easier to copy a design for printing.  It uses cameras and lasers to replicate actual objects into digital forms and files, which can then be used to print your own 3D object.

“We are super excited to be able to announce at SXSW Interactive that we are developing the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner,” MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis said.  “It’s a natural progression for us to create a product that makes 3D printing even easier. With the MakerBot Digitizer, now everyone will be able to scan a physical item, digitize it, and print it in 3D – with little or no design experience.”

The MakerBot Digitizer is still a protoype.

Though the technology shown at SXSW were all great, you won’t guess what stole the show: Grumpy Cat.  For people not familiar with memes, Grumpy Cat is a cat that looks like he hates the world and cannot be happy for anything.  In real life, it goes by the name Tarder Sauce and the owners say that she’s not really grumpy, that’s just how her face looks.  Still, if you have to pose for photos for an hour while people try to look as grumpy as you, I’m sure you wouldn’t be smiling either.

For more on innovation at SXSW, see contributing editor John Casaretto’s full analysis during his appearance on this morning’s NewsDesk show with Kristin Feledy.