Sports of all kinds and wearable technology are developing a tighter relationship. It’s likely that in the not so distant future it will seem a bit weird to train for pretty much any sport without some kind of digital assistance.

Running is probably the sport that’s been associated with wearables for the longest – on a consumer level anyway. Most of the existing running tech is worn on the wrist, but as we don’t use our arms so much while running, surely it makes more sense to bear the tech on the bottom of the legs, i.e., the feet.

Smartshoes and intelligent insoles are the next generation of run tracking gizmos. Recently we covered TUNE, the excellent foot monitor from Kinematx that analyzes all the important aspects of your running technique in real-time to help you run better and understand how to prevent injuries. The latest clever clogs to grab our attention are the iFit-powered Altra IQ.

The Altra IQ smart running shoes were on display at Outdoor Retailer Summer 2015 and CES 2016. with embedded sensors in each shoe and Bluetooth LE connectivity to the IQ app, this hi-tech run tracking technology delivers real-time stats and coaching tips to your compatible smartphone, smartwatch or fitness tracker to help you better understand how to maximize your performance.

Altra IQ epitomizes a new wave of advanced metrics to get you on track – literally! Including: measuring your ground contact time (GCT); landing zone; and impact force/balance. In addition to the cutting-edge features, Altra IQ takes care of the more regular metrics, such as cadence; duration; distance covered and pace.

The smart running shoes are powered by a replaceable coin cell battery that nods off when it’s not being used and is certified to last for around 600 running miles.

Altra are aiming to start shipping early in the summer 2016.