Pedal assistance with the help of an electric motor is already part of everyday life on bicycles. And the first manufacturers are already working on electric assistance for running, too. Last year, for example, the Google spin-off Skip teamed up with outdoor specialist Arc’teryx to present hiking pants with an electrically powered exoskeleton.

Sports shoe giant Nike doesn’t want to stand by and is focusing on a similar development for shoes. Under the code name Project Amplify, the company has developed a sneaker that, in combination with an electric motor, is designed to increase the range of motion.

Compact exoskeleton with interface

Nike is taking previous developments as a model. The concept now presented, which is being driven forward together with robotics specialist Dephy, is also a kind of miniaturized exoskeleton. A compact joint is kept in motion by a small electric motor with the help of a drive belt. The system draws its energy from a cuff that not only contains the batteries but also provides the necessary support on the lower leg. The Project Amplify shoe can also be used separately from the drive unit.

Nike not only wants to impress in everyday life. Above all, athletic users with limited performance capabilities should be enthusiastic about the shoe. Runners in particular, who run at average speeds of around eight to ten kilometers per hour, should achieve both higher speeds and greater endurance.

No details yet

However, the manufacturer is still keeping a lid on further details. Although the shoe is said to have already undergone intensive testing – according to Nike, 400 runners have taken around 2.4 million steps with the prototypes so far – there is no prospect of a sales launch yet.

Details on the performance of the drive or the possible running time in battery mode were also not revealed. However, Nike emphasizes in its announcement that Project Amplify is the first generation of a Nike shoe with a drive. Apparently, the company already has bigger plans.