If you want to run faster or farther, you have options. You can put in the work, getting up 40 minutes earlier to train, changing your diet, going harder and longer on each of your runs to build up strength.
Or, you can strap on one of Nike’s new robot shoes and mechanically boost your speed, your stamina, and your overall performance in a flash. Sounds way easier, and probably more fun too.
Today the footwear giant unveiled Project Amplify, an early design of a powered footwear system that Nike technicians are still developing with the goal of a commercial release in 2028.
Amplify has a few parts. At the top, an elastic cuff containing a ring of batteries fits onto the wearer’s calf. Attached to the battery array is a mechanical arm that points downward, with the thickest part sitting over the outside of the ankle. That thick part is where the motor lives, and that motor drives a hinged piece that’s attached to the heel of the shoe.
The shoe itself is a run-walk shoe with a carbon plate and modern Nike looks. (The company says you can detach the shoes and wear them sans motorized appliance; helpful for when the batteries need recharging.)
At the end of each step, the motor pulls up on the heel of the shoe. The device is calibrated so the movement of the motor can match the natural movement of each person’s ankle and lower leg. The result is that each step is powered, or given a little bit of a spring and an extra push by the robot mechanism.
Nike doesn’t expect that competitive athletes or distance runners will be able to strap these on and start shaving minutes off their marathon times. Rather, the device is meant to boost the movement of people who are thoroughly middle-of-the road runners or joggers. Nike cites the 10- to 12-minute miler as Project Amplify’s eventual target market. The company says a device like this will give the gentle assist necessary to help those folks either improve their overall fitness or help them endure longer distances while they’re on runs. It’s also being designed for everyday walkers and people who are on their feet for long stretches, basically giving any human the ability to stay mobile longer and with more comfort.
