PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - 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, Ore.
On Thursday, 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 $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.
"It's something that doesn't necessarily seem to have massive market appeal, but from the company standpoint speaks volumes about its technology capabilities," Swangard said.
you gotta be kidding me...
If you have a reason to put a computer chip in something, okay. Like a computer. Now that's a perfectly reasonable thing to put a computer chip in.
But when they find something that doesn't have a computer chip in it, they decide to put one in. Then they try to think figure out what the computer chip is going to do. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I just hope they don't start putting computer chips in babies.
The machines are taking over!!!!! AAAAAA!
for some odd reason, while the word "Ganya" was still just a thought-dropping in my head, I thought it'd only be four letters. But apparently it's five. yep.
for some odd reason, while the word "Ganya" was still just a thought-dropping in my head, I thought it'd only be four letters. But apparently it's five. yep.
Dekka00 said this in post #2 : I just hope they don't start putting computer chips in babies.
It's funny that you mention that Dekka because I sincerely believe it will happen.
The technology is already available for pets and I am sure it will become a trend with babies. Parents scared by the thought if their child being abducted, hearing the latest "Amber Alert", just might consider it. When I was young, my mom had me finger-printed. I fully expect finger-printing to be surpassed with the concept of micro-chipping your kids. I'd bet on it becoming a trend.
"What one believes to be real, will be real in it's concequences"
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world"
Have you ever seen Aliens? Well there is a colony on some planet and every colonist had a microchip surgically implanted into them so they can be located anywhere in the complex. If this were to happen on Earth then all we need to do is use satellites and people can be located all over the world... it is basically a GPS system inside of you. If I remember I heard that they have a watch that you can put on your kid and it really is a tracking device and it tracks the watch using satellite. It doesn’t work in cites because of the interference of high building and other radio waves and all that sorta techno stuff. I’m sure it doesn’t work in a tunnel because nothing freakin' works in a tunnel that wouldn’t be a bad place to hide someone though if you think about it. Hopefully in the future we can figure out how we can find away around this problem, unless GPS does work in tunnels and I didn’t now that. Does anybody know?
Eh, anyways the whole idea is scary because if the technology gets into the wrong hands then somebody could find out the direct location of the president and that isn’t good. But it is good because like mentioned before it can help find lost kids. It has its pro’s and con’s.
Yes, this technology could help find lost kinds...but, what happens once the kids are adults? What happens when the technology does fall into the wrong hands? Let's say someone comes up with a device that can "scan" you and discover "your code"? Now that person can track you, anywhere you go. That's's a wonderful tool for stalkers.
"What one believes to be real, will be real in it's concequences"
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world"
05-07-2004 07:28 AM
that wouldn’t be a bad place to hide someone though if you think about it. Hopefully in the future we can figure out how we can find away around this problem, unless GPS does work in tunnels and I didn’t now that. Does anybody know? 
