Leaping beyond conventional performance footwear, Nike unveiled Project Amplify, the world’s first powered footwear system for running and walking. The system is “designed to help everyday athletes go a little bit faster and farther, all with less effort.”
The first generation of the project, developed in partnership with robotics firm Dephy, comprises a lightweight motor, drive belt, rechargeable cuff battery and a carbon fiber plated running shoe that can be worn with or without the robotic assist. The design targets runners with a 10 to 12 minute mile pace and aims to make running uphill feel like running on flat ground.
The project explores the intersection of biomechanics, robotics and human movement resulting in a system acts like a “second set of calf muscles,” amplifying the wearer’s natural stride. Nike emphasises that this isn’t about elite performance margins, instead it is about expanding accessibility to more movement, for more people – reflecting their philpsophy “If you have a body, you are an athlete”.
While still in the prototyping phase, Project Amplify has captured more than 2.4 million steps of testing by over 400 athletes at Nike’s Sport Research Lab, aspiring to reach performance readiness and bring the footwear system to a broad consumer launch in the coming years.
