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Smart running shoes are not one established product category: sensors may be placed in an insole or built into a shoe, and can measure things such as pressure, movement, activity, or sole wear. Most examples in the available evidence are research systems, prototypes, or announced platforms—not proven consumer products, and measurement alone does not show that advice improves performance or prevents injury.
When evaluating a new system, check what it measures, where its sensor sits, how it is powered and connected, what evidence supports its interpretation, and whether it is actually available. Comfort, durability, data handling, and the distinction between a research project and a retail product matter as much as the sensor itself.
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COROS POD 2 Watch Sensor Accessory, Indoor and Treadmill Distance Tracking | $99.00 | Buy on Amazon |
What smart running shoes can mean
“Smart footwear” covers different approaches rather than a standard set of features. A system may use a removable insole or a sensor integrated into the shoe or sole. It may collect pressure or movement data, classify activity, or track changes in sole wear. These functions are not interchangeable.
It is also useful to separate sensing from interpretation. A sensor can collect measurements; an app may summarize them or offer advice. Neither step by itself proves that the advice is accurate or that using it changes running outcomes.
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- COROS POD 2 measures your run directly from your foot or body movements with optimized sensor hardware and intuitive software algorithms. It connects to your COROS watch to provide real-time data, so you can always train or race with the right information.
- MORE SENSITIVE INSTANT PACE: With the advanced accelerometer in COROS POD 2, receiving data directly from your foot to create the most responsive pace displayed on your watch. It removes the up to 10-second delay caused by the GPS watch's wrist sensors. COROS watch paired with the COROS POD 2 ensures you can stay within your targeted pace in nearly real-time, even when there is no GPS signal.
- MORE ACCURATE Distance INDOORS: With accurate pace detection, COROS POD 2 measures the exact distance you've run, even when indoors. By plotting the motion of your foot through space on an XYZ plane, the COROS POD 2 automatically calibrates itself to calculate your stride and the distance you've run on a treadmill, or an indoor track.
- MORE PRECISE ON HILLY TERRAIN：Effort Pace is a unique COROS metric that tells you how hard you're actually working when on hilly terrain. The COROS POD 2 makes your Effort Pace 5x more responsive than standard GPS, so you can make split-second decisions and better analyze your overall exertion once a workout has ended.
- MORE CONSISTENT IN THE CITIES: Running through tunnels or the first few miles of the Chicago marathon between skyscrapers not only disrupts your watch's pace and distance data but also creates messy GPS tracks. With data gathered from various internal sensors, COROS POD 2 is able to auto-correct GPS disruptions such as pace spikes and drops.
What is being developed
| Example | What the source describes | Status and limits |
|---|---|---|
| SOLLO, from Movmenta and Arkema | A battery-free sensor designed to be integrated into running-shoe soles. Arkema says it is intended to connect to an app and provide information about sole absorption and wear evolution. | Arkema’s 2025 announcement described a brand-facing platform and forecast first commercial deployment during summer 2026. That forecast is not confirmation that deployment occurred or that a consumer shoe is on sale. The announcement gives the sensor’s weight as 1.5 g. Arkema’s announcement |
| ASICS and TDK | A joint research effort on a sensing device intended to visualize athletes’ movements during training. | The companies described research and possible future applications, not a currently available connected ASICS running shoe. ASICS announcement |
| University of Portsmouth and TG0 | A smart-insole system demonstrating measurement of the body’s interaction with the ground, including a movement demonstration with a force plate. | A research report, not a retail listing or broad validation of consumer running feedback. University of Portsmouth report |
| CHI EA ’26 shoe demonstrations | Prototype concepts spanning activity recognition, surface sensing, sensors fabricated into a shoe, and vibro or pneumatic actuation. | A demonstration of possible designs, not evidence of a proven consumer product. CHI EA ’26 research demonstration |
| Rutgers smart-shoe research | A system for analyzing walking and classifying activity. | Rutgers describes possible future uses, including fall-risk assessment and movement monitoring, as requiring further development and clinical testing. It does not establish diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease or other conditions. Rutgers report |
| SafeStep concept | A proposed insole combining pressure sensors and an inertial measurement unit. | The project page describes further prototype development and validation as future work; this is a concept, not an established product. James Dyson Award project page |
How to judge a smart-footwear claim
- Identify the measurement. Is the system measuring pressure distribution, movement, activity, or the condition of the shoe’s sole? Do not assume that one type of data establishes another.
- Check sensor placement. A removable insole and an embedded sole sensor may have different fit, compatibility, and use constraints.
- Find out how it is powered and connected. For example, Arkema describes SOLLO as battery-free and app-connected. Do not assume other systems share those characteristics.
- Separate data from advice and outcomes. A measurement, an app summary, coaching guidance, and a demonstrated health or performance benefit are different levels of evidence.
- Check comfort and durability evidence. Ask whether the hardware affects fit or has been tested under repeated loading and moisture. The sources cited here do not provide a comparative durability test.
- Verify maturity and availability. Look for whether the claim concerns research, a prototype, an announced platform, or a product that consumers can actually buy.
- Review data handling. Check product-specific privacy information to learn what is collected and where it goes. The research collected for this article did not establish the data policies of a specific consumer product.
Can smart shoes prevent injuries or improve performance?
The available sources do not establish that these systems prevent injuries or improve running performance. Sensors may capture measurements that researchers or developers consider useful, but that is not proof that an app’s interpretation predicts injury or that following its advice changes outcomes. Treat claims about diagnosis, injury prevention, or performance improvement cautiously unless evidence supports that specific claim.
For example, Rutgers discusses possible future health-monitoring applications but notes the need for further development and clinical testing. That should not be recast as a smart running shoe that diagnoses a condition.
What does “a Fitbit for your feet” mean?
A reader discussion used the informal phrase “Fitbit for your feet” for a proposed smart insole. It can help describe the idea of collecting foot-level data, but it is not a product specification, proof of capability, or evidence of consumer demand. Reader discussion
FAQ
Are smart running shoes available to buy?
The evidence reviewed here does not establish a named, widely available consumer smart-shoe model. It includes research, prototypes, and Arkema’s announced brand-facing SOLLO platform, whose 2025 announcement forecast a first commercial deployment during summer 2026. Verify current availability with a primary source before treating that forecast as fulfilled.
What is the difference between a smart insole and a smart shoe?
A smart insole places sensors in a removable insert; an integrated system puts sensing hardware into the shoe or sole. The placement can affect which shoes the system works with and may matter for fit and compatibility. Check the specific product rather than assuming all systems work alike.
Does a smart insole diagnose running injuries?
The cited evidence does not show that a consumer smart insole diagnoses injuries. A system may collect movement or pressure data, but diagnosis and proven clinical use require evidence beyond sensor capability.
What should I check before buying one?
Confirm that the product is actually available, what it measures, how it is powered and connected, how its feedback has been validated, whether it fits comfortably, how durable it is, and how it handles data. Do not assume an ordinary running insole has connected sensing features.
Does a battery-free sensor mean the whole shoe needs no charging?
Not necessarily. Arkema describes SOLLO’s sensor as battery-free, but that does not establish the power arrangements of every system or every product using it. Check the specifications for the particular shoe or insole.
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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.
