What if running became as easy as pedaling an electric bike? This is exactly what Nike promises with its ambitious Project Amplify, presented as the world’s first motorized shoe system. An innovation that could well transform our relationship with movement, helping everyday runners go faster, further, with less effort.
Still in the testing phase, this futuristic project is primarily aimed at amateur athletes, those who run at a moderate pace and who seek to prolong the pleasure without exhausting their calves. In collaboration with Dephy, a company specializing in wearable robotics, Nike is designing a mechanical assistance system intended to amplify the natural movement of the leg and ankle.
An increased shoe
The Project Amplify isn’t just a pair of sneakers. This is a real miniature exoskeleton with a whole ecosystem. Each model has a light enginea drive beltand a rechargeable battery attached to the ankle. Everything is integrated into a racing shoe equipped with a carbon fiber plate, inspired by high-end models already used in competition.
But unlike shoes designed for pure performance, those of Project Amplify target another category of athletes, a little less competitive. Urban walkers, joggers and runners but also those who want to make sport more accessible and more fun. According to the first feedback from testers, the sensation would be comparable to run on flat ground, even uphill. Some even gained up to two minutes off their average pace.
A strategic turning point for Nike
For Nike, this innovation marks a breakthrough comparable to that of the electric bicycle in urban mobility. Where the latter has allowed thousands of people to get back in the saddle, Project Amplify could well restore a taste for running to those who consider it too strenuous.
This project is part of a series of major technological advances unveiled by the brand this year, alongside innovations in smart textiles and thermal regulation. For Michael Donaghu, vice-president of the innovation department, “Project Amplify is another step in our mission: to add a little power to every stride, and to push the limits of what everyone believes is possible.”
Still in testing phase after more than 2.4 million steps recorded by 400 athletesthe product does not yet have an official release date, or even a Price (the bill may be steep).
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