(Credit: Nike)
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Nike on Thursday unveiled Project Amplify, a new line of shoes that comes with a robotic system to help you walk and run more with less effort.
The footwear, still in development, comes with a lightweight yet powerful motor, a drive belt, a rechargeable cuff battery, and a carbon fiber-plated running shoe—which can be used without the robotic gear as well.
Together, the system is engineered to mimic natural lower-leg and ankle movements, and it could be considered "a second set of calf muscles," Nike says.
(Credit: Nike)The shoes aren't meant for pro athletes, though. They are intended to inspire regular users who wish to move more often and for longer periods.
Nike compares Project Amplify to electric bikes. Just like how e-bikes help urban riders cover more distance than they would on a traditional bicycle, these shoes will help slow runners, joggers, and walkers push their usual limits. The shoes can help users achieve a running speed of nearly 10 to 12 minutes per mile, the company adds.
Nike didn't reveal when the product will be available, but said that it's been tested by more than 400 athletes over the past several years. It is built in partnership with a robotics company called Dephy, with motion algorithms contributed by the Nike Sports Research Lab.
Project Amplify is one of the four products Nike unveiled this week. The others include an Aero-FIT jersey meant to sustain warm outdoor conditions and a new set of neuroscience-based shoes to help "athletes lock in their mindset pre- and post-competition."
In 2019, Nike launched the Adapt BB self-lacing shoes that could be configured or adjusted using a mobile app, but its app was shut down last year.