The Adidas 1 - The World's First Intelligent Pair of Runners

Adidas have spent the past three years working on the creation of the world's first intelligent running shoe. It's an intelligent runner because it has a tiny computer microchip in the sole of the shoe that has the ability to adjust its cushioning according to the terrain, weather and the ability and weight of the runner.

The Adidas-1 monitors the amount of shock applied to the foot and adjusts the shoe's footbed 1,000 times per second. It actually changes as you run. If you start running on the grass, or you change your pace, then the sole will change. If you start to run faster, it will offer more protection.

The energy comes from watch-sized batteries that fit into the sole of the shoes. These batteries last 100 hours but each shoe has an on-off switch. If switched off, or if the battery runs out, the shoe remembers the last setting. It's the first pair of running shoes of its kind that could be called a walking, running and trail runner because of the sneaker's ability to adapt in real time, to any kind of pace and surface.

This new revolutionized shoe comes at no small cost though. At $250 a pair, it is the most expensive runner on the market. Currently, the most expensive runner is the Nike Air Jordans at $150 to $175 a pair. Are serious athletes willing to pay that amount for their runners? Addidas thinks so and is going to try and drive an exclusive market by having a limited release of less then 10,000 pairs in their first year.

Another drawback is the extra weight. Most high performance runners weight between 10 and 14 ounces and the Adidas-1 weighs in at a whopping 15.3 ounces. Again, are serious runners willing to overlook this. On the other hand, Runner's World gear editor Warren Greene, says Adidas-1 delivered the goods on his extended test. He said that "The overall fit, feel, responsiveness and the ride of the shoe were all positive."

Addidas are confident with their new product and are projecting a 5 to 10% growth in sales in 2005 and even more in 2006 partly due to the Adidas-1. Popular Science has labelled this pair of Addidas' "one of the best inventions of the year". Will this be the dawn of more "smart shoes"? Will Nike follow Adidas's lead? I guess we'll have to wait and see. If the Adidas-1 has sparked your interest, you should start seeing them in stores by the end of March 2005.<

About the Author:

Jacquie Barry is a successful freelance writer and the publisher of http://www.online-running-gear.com. Jacquie has enjoyed running for the past 20 years and has successfully completed many marathons and triathlons including Ironman Canada.