Frank Rudy, the man who created Air Sole technology for Nike, died last month at the age of 84. His innovation, which entailed putting small airbags into soles, made its debut in the Air Tailwind in 1979, and became more widespread in basketball and tennis shoes by 1982. The technology hit it big in 1987 with the Air Max, where the airbags were visible. Rudy is said to have had more than 250 patents registered in his name at the time of his death, having left his career as an aerospace engineer to become a full-time inventor.