Nike Enters Robotics with Project Amplify Powered Footwear
PublishedQuick Facts
- Nike Project Amplify is the world's first powered footwear system
- It's designed to help with everyday movement, from light running to jogging and running
- It augments natural lower leg and ankle movement to make it easier to move
- Some testers saw their 12 minute mile time go down to 10 minutes
- Project Amplify is in the testing stages, but expect a retail release in the next few years
The month of October plays host to “Back to the Future” day, with October 21, 1955 being the date a young Marty McFly and Doc Brown would travel back to in the 1985 classic. The second entry in the franchise went ahead to the year 2015, imagining a world with hoverboards and self-lacing shoes from Nike, the latter becoming a reality during the 2010s. What Back to the Future didn’t predict, however, was robotic footwear pushing you forward. More so lining up with something out of the Six Million Dollar Man TV series rather than the Robert Zemeckis film is Nike’s new Project Amplify.
Marking the first-ever powered footwear system for running and walking, Project Amplify has been designed to help athletes go faster with less effort from the human body. No, Nike’s not at the level of Cyberpunk 2077 or entering Neuralink territory just yet, but the system does help alleviate the energy used by the body during slow runs, jogs, and walking. Think of the exoskeleton as a second set of calf muscles. A big note here: this was not made for competitive running, so don’t expect to see Project Amplify in use during record-breaking moments on the track. Instead, the intention is for individuals using Project Amplify who want to push forward with less effort.
The Nike Sport Research Lab has done extensive testing over several years in both outdoor and indoor environments, tasking more than 400 athletes to test various versions of the hardware. In some cases, individuals were able to shave their mile time from 12 minutes down to 10.
Project Amplify was created in partnership with robotics firm Dephy, with the first-generation system comprised of a lightweight, powerful motor, a drive belt, and a rechargeable cuff battery that integrates with a carbon fiber-plated running shoe. The sneaker itself can be worn with or without the robotics system.
“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?” says Michael Donaghu, 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.”
For now, we’re stuck using our normal human muscles, as Nike’s Project Amplify is in the testing stages, but expect The Swoosh to roll out the footwear system in the coming years. For updates on shoes you can cop in the coming weeks and months, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
