Nike’s robotic shoe brings humans one step closer to cyborgs

If you like To run faster or farther, you have options. You can put in the work, wake up 40 minutes earlier to train, change your diet, and go harder and longer on each run to build strength.

Or you can slip on one of Nike’s new robot shoes and mechanically boost your speed, endurance and overall performance in the blink of an eye. It seems much easier, and probably more fun too.

Today the footwear giant unveiled Project Amplify, an early design of a powered shoe system that Nike technicians are still developing with the goal of a commercial release in 2028.

Amplification has a few parts. At the top, there is a flexible bracelet containing a loop of batteries that fits over the wearer’s leg. Attached to the battery pack is a downward-pointing mechanical arm, with the thickest part over the outside of the ankle. This thick part is where the motor lives, and this motor moves a hinged piece attached to the heel of the shoe.

The shoe itself is a running shoe with a carbon plate and a modern Nike look. (The company says you can detach the shoe and put it on without using motorized devices; which is useful when the batteries need recharging.)

At the end of each step, the motor pulls to the top of the heel of the shoe. The device is calibrated so that the movement of the motor matches the natural movement of each person’s ankle and lower leg. The result is that each step is powered, or given a little spring and extra push by the robot’s mechanism.

Nike doesn’t expect competitive athletes or long-distance runners to be able to wear these clothes and start cutting minutes off their marathon times. Instead, the device aims to enhance the mobility of people jogging or jogging in the middle of the road. Nike cites the 10- to 12-minute run as the ultimate target market for Project Amplify. The company says a device like this will provide the gentle assistance needed to help these people either improve their overall fitness or help them endure longer distances while running. It’s also designed for everyday walkers and people who are on their feet for long periods, giving anyone the ability to stay mobile longer and with more comfort.

Nike has been developing Project Amplify for years; Here are some examples.

Courtesy of Nike