| Underneath the arch is the shoe's brain,
a microprocessor capable of making five million calculations per second.
Software written specifically for the shoe compares the compression
messages received from the sensor to a preset zone and understands
if the shoe is too soft or too firm.
Once it has determined if the cushioning level is appropriate,
it ends a command to the shoe's muscle to make a change.
A motor-driven cable system is the shoe's muscle. The motor, housed
in the midfoot, receives the brain’s instructions and adapts
by turning a screw, which lengthens or shortens a cable. This cable
is secured to the walls of a plastic cushioning element. When the
cable is shortened, the cushioning element is tensed and compresses
very little. When the cable is longer, it allows the cushioning
element to compress further, making the shoe’s ride softer.
A small replaceable battery provides the motor's power. The changes
are gradual and happen automatically, so all the runner notices
is that the shoe feels right during an entire run.
"One thing all runners need is cushioning, and no two runners
are the same. adidas_1's revolutionary technology ensures that no
matter what your weight is, how heavy your foot strikes, how fast
you run or even the surface you are running on, the shoe senses,
adapts and provides the right amount of cushioning," added
Gellner.
The company has also put in place an integrated communication approach
using the tagline ‘The World’s First Intelligent Shoe’
to support the launch of adidas_1.
The campaign will include television commercial and outdoors in
addition to Internet and retail marketing. Adidas has also launched
a website, www.adidas-1.com, to provide information on the shoe’s
technology.
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