The Future of Feet: Nike Testing Battery Powered Robot Shoes

What is Project Amplify?

You may have seen Nike’s recent announcement about Project Amplify, which it calls the first “powered footwear system.”

But what does that actually mean? 

Well, Nike describes it as the “electric bike” of running. Equipped with a battery-powered motor and sleek design, the mini exoskeleton wraps around your ankle and connects to a shoe, giving you a charged burst as you walk or run. Though it may be years before it’s commercially released, this Iron-Man-like invention is already making waves across the internet.

The Shoe of the Future

In an early test, GQ reporter Calum Marsh noted that he walked and ran faster with the battery-powered footwear without even noticing. The electric shoes are expected to turn a 10-minute mile into an 8-minute mile with ease. 

“Project Amplify started with a single question: What if we could find a way to help athletes move faster and farther with less energy and a lot more fun,” said Michael Donaghu, Nike’s VP of Create The Future, Emerging Sport and Innovation. “At its core, Project Amplify is about seamlessly adding a little more power to your stride. The fun comes from realizing you can do more than you thought you could—whatever ‘more’ means to you.”

Nike isn’t necessarily aiming for the footwear’s use in serious athletic competition—regulatory bodies would likely ban them anyway. But that doesn’t mean Project Amplify can’t be a great training tool for young athletes. 

How Young Athletes Can Benefit

Injuries are a part of every single sport—they’re unfortunately unavoidable. And many of today’s injuries, from ACL to UCL tears, can be attributed to overuse. Kids are specializing in and playing far more competitive sports at younger ages, which can lead to physical and mental burnout. 

Sports medicine is just trying to keep up. A new surgical option for ACL injuries, the BEAR implant, has improved recovery time by months for some athletes, as an example. Aids like Project Amplify, and the unique technology it’s currently implementing, could be an important step in recovery by allowing athletes a way to train with a little robotic help and therefore less wear and tear on their muscles.

Project Amplify could perhaps allow injured athletes to get back on the field or court sooner, too, thus helping with their mental health and happiness. The potential impact is limitless.

The Future Is Now

Nike describes the product as “a second pair of calf muscles,” partnering with Robotic footwear and apparel brand Dephy to develop a system that’s both effective and aesthetically pleasing.

They’re not the first company to explore robotic limbs, though. Recently, a social media video of American tourists trying a large robotic exoskeleton in China went viral. CNN reported that some of those units could cost upwards of $11,000. Project Amplify is just for the lower legs, so perhaps it’ll be cheaper. But as technology progresses, money could be a determining factor in who’s able to indulge in the latest innovations.