MAM
adidas introduces world’s first “intelligent” shoe
MUMBAI: Adidas has introduced the world’s first “intelligent” running shoe called – adidas_1 in India.
Priced at Rs 12,499, adidas_1 will come to India as an exclusive product and will be available at select Adidas stores in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon and Bangalore.
“adidas_1 is the proof of our brand attitude, Impossible Is Nothing. This product will change the entire sporting goods industry. It is a true first and establishes Adidas as a clear leader in the field of innovation,” said Adidas India MD Andreas Gellner.
The shoe works like a human reflex nerve. The nerve is a magnetic sensing system, where the sensor sits just below the runner’s heel and the magnet is placed at the bottom of the midsole. On each impact, this sensor measures the distance from top to bottom of the midsole (accurate to 0.1 mm) gauging the compression and therefore the amount of cushioning being used. About 1,000 readings per second are taken and relayed to the shoe’s brain.
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.
Brands
Tata Sons defers decision on chairman N Chandrasekaran’s third term
Term runs till 2027, but board differences are stalling extension talks
MUMBAI: Tata Sons has deferred a decision on whether to extend the tenure of its chairman, N Chandrasekaran, injecting fresh uncertainty into the leadership timeline of India’s largest conglomerate.
The board had last year cleared a third executive term for Chandrasekaran running until February 2027, when he turned 65. However, deliberations on any further extension were put on hold this week after differences emerged during a board meeting, CNBC-TV18 reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The pause underscores internal strains as the group pushes through an aggressive investment cycle while grappling with uneven financial returns. The Economic Times reported that Chandrasekaran himself asked for discussions on his reappointment to be deferred after some directors raised concerns about mounting losses at several newer businesses.
Those concerns were led by Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, the principal shareholder of Tata Sons. Other board members countered that losses were expected in early-stage, capital-intensive ventures designed to secure the group’s long-term position.
Since taking charge in 2017, following the ouster of Cyrus Mistry, Chandrasekaran has driven a phase of expansion and consolidation. Over the past five years, the tata group has nearly doubled revenue and more than tripled net profit and market capitalisation, while committing about Rs 5.5 lakh crore to investments aimed at making the conglomerate “future fit”, according to its latest annual report.
Recent numbers, however, present a more mixed picture. Tata Sons reported a 24 per cent rise in revenue to Rs 5.92 lakh crore in fiscal 2025, while net profit fell 17 per cent to Rs 28,898 crore.
In its annual report, the company said the year opened with expectations of macroeconomic stability and easing inflation. That optimism faded as uncertainty over global trade policy intensified, complicating the operating environment.
For now, the question of leadership continuity at the apex of the Tata Group remains unresolved and closely watched by investors assessing the cost and conviction behind the conglomerate’s long-term bets.
