Nike has a long history of creating unique footwear concepts, such as self-lacing sneakers or “Hyperboot” which can speed up recovery. The company claims that its

Project Amplify (19459053) and new

The”neuroscience-based” shoes go a step further by enhancing your body and mind as you wear them. Project Amplify, developed with robotics startup Dephy in collaboration with

is a “a second set of calf muscles” that “everyday athletes” can use to walk or run longer. Nike says that the first-generation model is a running shoe equipped with a carbon fibre plate, a calf mounted rechargeable battery, motor, and drive belt. The Project Amplify running shoes have the same neon colors and cushioned finish as a regular pair of shoes. However, the basic design is similar to the robotic Sidekick shoe Dephy already has.

The website of the company is a pitching site. Project Amplify

does not replace the ability to walk or run but makes it easier to go further and faster. Nike compares it to an ebike, which doesn’t replace pedaling but instead adds power from an electric motor. Nike says Project Amplify is “makes walking or running uphill feel like moving on flat ground,” which in the case of those who tested it, transformed a 12-minute-mile into a 10-minute-mile. Dephy and the Nike Sport Research Lab tested various versions of robotic footwear with over 400 different athletes. “over 2.4 million steps, the equivalent of roughly 12,000 laps around the NSRL’s 200-meter track.”

Their approach, combining an existing fashion brand with robots, is similar.

Arc’teryx’s robotic trousers, the MO/GO pants from 2024were developed in partnership with

Skip is a hiking aid that helps hikers maintain balance and endurance. Project Amplify may be smaller (and hopefully cheaper), but robot-assisted devices are increasingly becoming a way for robotics research to make its way into consumer goods, beyond vacuums.

Nike Mind 001 and Mind 002 are based on the company’s neuroscience research and are strange in a completely different way. The Nike Mind Science Department created the foam nodes that are in both pairs of shoes — a pair each of mules and sneakers — to give the texture of the floor beneath the wearer’s foot. Nike says that this process “heightens sensory awareness, which can help clear away distractions and enhance concentration,” is used.

Nike Mind 001 and Mind 002 are set to be released in January 2026.

Nike Mind line Nike says Project Amplify will receive “a broad consumer launch in the coming years.”

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