Are you walking or running and looking to go faster with less effort? Nike seems to have the solution for you. On Thursday, October 23, the brand introduced Project Amplify, a footwear system designed to optimize the natural movements of the lower leg and ankle to improve your performance.
Composed of a “light and powerful” motor, according to the manufacturer, a transmission belt and a rechargeable battery placed in an anklet, the prototype is based on movement algorithms to help its wearer. The valuable algorithms were developed by its research and development institute, the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL).
“Everything is perfectly integrated into a running shoe with a carbon fiber plate, which can be used with or without the robotic system,” said the brand, comparing Project Amplify to an electric bicycle. Because since this means of transportation allows you to travel longer distances without getting tired, the Nike system would make running calmer, and jogging and walking easier and more pleasant.
Shoes for amateur athletes.
Designed in collaboration with robotics startup Dephy, Project Amplify is not intended for athletes participating in competitions or looking to improve their times. It is aimed at everyday athletes, to allow them to walk or run more often, for longer and with more pleasure thanks to “a second pair of calf muscles”, explained the manufacturer.
With this shoe system they could, for example, run one or two kilometers more. After testing more than nine different versions of this system with more than 400 athletes at its research institute, Nike even claims that some people went from an eight-minute mile pace to a six-minute mile pace.
At the moment, its system is still in the testing phase, but the brand expects a launch to the general public in the coming years. It should be noted that this is not the only technological innovation that Nike presented on Thursday. The manufacturer has introduced its first “neuroscience-based” shoes, Mind 001 and Mind 002. Designed to help athletes maintain their mood before and after competition, they feature 22 foam points that transmit the feel and texture of the ground when they are in motion.
In other words, they actively activate key sensory areas of the brain through plantar stimulation. “This interaction awakens the senses, eliminates distractions and strengthens concentration,” Nike said. They will be available in January 2026, but their price is not yet known.
Source: BFM TV
