Geek My Run: Sneakers vault into the digital age

Shoes have seen countless changes over the millennia - from the grass stuffed goat and bearskin coverings of Stone-Age to Carrie Bradshaw's Manolo Blahniks. Sophisticated designs let athletes run faster and jump higher, but the unique hybrid Adidas shoes lept into the future. Computer hardware built into the $250 adidas_1 sneakers adjust cushioning levels for any runner in any environment, turning ordinary footwear into highly-enhanced digital running gear. Adidas_1 features a 20 Mhz microprocessor placed under the arch, capable of processing up to 1000 readings per second from the heel compression sensor. A motor receives command from the CPU and drives a transmission with a 1:50 ratio, turning a lead screw, that in turn adjusts a cable connected to the heel's cushioning element, when the cable is tighter, the element has less cushioning as a result. Lower tension allows vertical force to compress the element more. The mechanism uses power only when making adjustments. Besides measuring compression, the system tracks the time between peak readings, deriving other dynamics such as force, velocity, acceleration and deceleration. The two 3-volt CR2450 lithium cells will need to be changed after 100 hours of use, the company says the computerized parts will work beyond the shoe's 1000 kilometer lifespan. What's next? Presumably, GPS and bluetooth techology, hooking up the shoe to some analytical program that would give you information on your route, calories burnt, average speed.. and a designed for Windows XP Tag perhaps? hmmm.. Adidas_1 Official Website