US Patent 7395614 Intelligent footwear

A controllable footwear method and apparatus, comprising a structure which controls a splitting of a force exerted on a sole of the footwear between a first portion which is stored in an energy storage structure and later returned to the sole, and a second portion which is dissipated, and a control for controlling the structure in dependence on an activity of the wearer, to alter a relation between the first portion and the second portion, to thereby alter a dynamic characteristic of the footwear.