|
Adidas creates computerized 'smart shoe'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-13 09:08 Adidas says it has created
the world's first "smart shoe" by mating it with a computer chip that adapts its
cushioning level to a runner's size and stride.
The Adidas 1 is the product of a three-year secret project the German company
developed at its U.S. headquarters in Portland, Oregon in the United States.
Recently, Adidas opened its research lab to reporters from around the world
for a first peek at a shoe the company claims will revolutionize distance
running and training.
"This is the first intelligent shoe ever," said Erich Stamminger, global
marketing director for Adidas. "It senses, understands and adapts."
After thousands of hours of testing, Adidas is confident the computerized
shoe will endure the wear-and-tear of running in almost any condition — from
hard pavement to dirt trails, and dry streets to wet beaches.
The microprocessor is located in the arch of the shoe, and drives a tiny
screw and cable system that adjusts the heel cushion depending on the signals
sent back by an electric sensor coupled to a magnet.
It is powered by a battery that conserves power by adjusting the shoe while
it is in the air during a runner’s stride, avoiding resistance from the ground.
The entire assembly weighs no more than 40 grams — just 10 percent of the
400-gram total weight of the shoe, to keep it light enough for distance runners.
But the US$250 price tag is likely to make it a luxury item when it first
goes on sale in December, said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw
Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top Life
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
