Apple’s "smart shoes" notify users when they need replacing

An interesting Apple patent application discovered on Thursday describes a sensor and alarm system that can be embedded into footwear, granting users a more empirical method on which to rely when deciding to replace worn-out shoes.

First filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in July 2012, Apple’s application for a “Shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods” looks to make “smart shoes” that can alert owners when they need replacing.