Nike, the large sportswear brand aims to make running and walking easier with Project Amplify, a motorized footwear system that uses robotic assistance to help recreational runners and walkers go faster and farther with less effort, like an electric bike but for your feet.
The system integrates a lightweight motor, drive belt, and rechargeable battery into carbon fiber-plated running shoes. Motion algorithms developed in Nike’s Sport Research Lab coordinate power delivery to augment natural ankle and leg movement. The shoes work with or without the powered components attached, offering flexibility for different activities.
Project Amplify targets recreational athletes running 10-12 minute mile paces, partnering with robotics company Dephy to create what they describe as a second set of calf muscles for everyday movement. Testing participants reported the system makes uphill running feel like flat terrain, with some improving from 12-minute miles to 10-minute miles while wearing the device. The project has been tested by over 400 people who’ve logged 2.4 million steps across nine hardware versions. It is still in testing phases, with a consumer launch planned for “the coming years.”
Nike’s Project Amplify seeks to introduce wearable robotics technology in mainstream fitness applications, though whether powered running shoes catch on like e-bikes did for cycling remains to be seen.
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