Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Adidas’ 2005 Adidas_1 was an electronically adaptive running shoe: a sensor measured how much its cushioning compressed, and a motorized mechanism adjusted the cushion toward a preferred range. That is the engineering behind Mark David’s “winner” description—not evidence of improved race results or a verified market-wide hit.
What the Adidas_1 did
Adidas officially launched the Adidas_1 in April 2005 after three years in the laboratory, according to Mark David’s contemporaneous Electronic Design article. Rather than simply counting steps, its electronics monitored compression in a cushioning element and mechanically changed how readily that element compressed.
The target was a preferred amount of compression, not a single setting for every runner or condition. The team used data from test shoes alongside runners’ feedback to inform its target zone. Mark Oleson, an electromechanical engineer on the Adidas Innovation Team, described the validation process: “When the two matched up, that helped validate our sensor,” says Oleson.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How the sensing and adjustment worked
1. A sensor tracked cushion compression
A Hall-effect sensor and magnet monitored movement as the cushioning element compressed. David’s 2005 account says the system sent about 1,000 readings per second to the processor and measured compression to an accuracy of 0.1 mm. Those are figures reported in that period article, not newly tested specifications.
#1 Best Overall
- Men's stylish, slip-on sneakers
- SNUG FIT: Adjustable laces provide a secure fit
- FLEXIBLE UPPER: Soft textile upper is stretchy and comfortable
- CUSHIONED MIDSOLE: Cloudfoam midsole for step-in comfort and superior cushioning
- MADE IN PART WITH RECYCLED CONTENT: This product features at least 20% recycled materials. By reusing materials that have already been created, we help to reduce waste and our reliance on finite resources and reduce the footprint of the products we make
2. The processor compared readings with a target
The embedded processor evaluated the measurements against the desired cushioning range. The design goal, as Oleson put it, was to maintain a preferred compression zone despite changes in the runner’s speed, weight, or running surface. This describes the system’s intended behavior; the article does not establish a controlled performance benefit.
3. A motor changed the cushioning element
When the mechanism needed to adjust, a micromotor turned a lead screw connected to a cable. Tightening the cable made the plastic cushioning element more taut and less compressible; loosening it allowed more cushioning. The shoe made changes gradually, averaging four running steps per adjustment, and did so during the foot’s swing phase, when it was off the ground.
Rank #2
- Men's stylish, slip-on sneakers
- SNUG FIT: Adjustable laces provide a secure fit
- FLEXIBLE UPPER: Soft textile upper is stretchy and comfortable
- CUSHIONED MIDSOLE: Cloudfoam midsole for step-in comfort and superior cushioning
- MADE IN PART WITH RECYCLED CONTENT: This product features at least 20% recycled materials. By reusing materials that have already been created, we help to reduce waste and our reliance on finite resources and reduce the footprint of the products we make
What runners could control
The wearer could also use plus and minus buttons to favor a firmer or softer ride. These were adjustment choices within the Adidas_1, not separate models. The automatic system’s goal was to keep the cushioning near its preferred range, while the controls let the wearer shift that preference.
Battery and launch-era price
Electronic Design reported that the shoe used a replaceable 3-V battery that lasted about 100 hours of running. The article does not name a battery model, form factor, or compatible replacement, so the voltage alone is not enough to identify a suitable battery.
Rank #3
- adidas Men's adiZero Pacer Running
In 2004, EE Times reported a planned U.S. commercial launch in December and a price of $250 per pair. Electronic Design subsequently reported the official launch in April 2005. The dates reflect separate launch-era reports, and the $250 was a planned historical price—not a current price or proof of broad sales.
Was it really a “winner”?
David’s headline presents an editorial judgment. His article also recounts local interest around the launch, including a report that stores were sold out, but that anecdote is not a sales total or evidence of nationwide demand. The two period reports establish what Adidas said the shoe did and how it was priced and launched; they do not show that it improved race times, prevented injuries, outsold rivals, or remains available today.
Rank #4
- 100% Rubber
- Made in the USA or Imported
- Ethylene Vinyl Acetate sole
- Shaft measures approximately low-top" from arch
- Regular Fit. The Swiftrun Shoe RUNS LARGE. We recommend sizing down
Likewise, EE Times quoted Adidas global marketing director Erich Stamminger calling it “the first intelligent shoe ever” and saying, “It senses, understands and adapts.” That is a company marketing claim reported in 2004, not an independently established first. The more concrete achievement was the integration of sensing, processing, and mechanical adjustment into a running shoe.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What the story does—and does not—say about Adidas shoes today
The Adidas_1 is a specific product from 2005, not a buying recommendation or evidence that current Adidas running shoes use the same mechanism. The cited accounts do not establish present-day availability, compatible replacement parts, or a direct successor. Any vintage listing or repair claim would need to be checked on its own merits.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
