A computer in a shoe?

So there is now a computerized shoe: I remember as a kid watching “Get Smart” on Nick at night and cracking up because of the shoe phone. But now, we are well on our way to turning our lives into completely controlled by computers: The Adidas 1 uses a sensor, a microprocessor and a motorized cable system to automatically adjust the shoes' cushioning. The sensor under the heel measures compression and decides whether the shoe is too soft or firm. That information is sent to the microprocessor and, while the shoe is in the air, the cable adjusts the heel cushion. The whole system weighs less than 40 grams. The shoe comes with replaceable lithium batteries that are estimated to be good for 100 hours of running. The shoe can be turned off and used as regular sneakers (to preserve battery life). The chip also shuts itself off, keeping the same cushioning, if a runner walks more than 10 minutes. Since runners tend to replace shoes at the 500 mile mark – at $250 these Adidas would basically cost 50 cents per mile but Adidas claims that the cushioning will outlast traditional shoes.

What happened to the good old days of canvas shoes? Chuck Taylor’s used to rule the world.