When Nike launched the original Vaporfly 4% it changed running forever, with the carbon plate running shoe revolution leading to world, national and personal records tumbling in the years since.
Its latest innovation could be similarly transformative for the sport, with the Project Amplify shoe being the first motor-powered footwear design for runners. It’s fair to say those who don’t like carbon plates in running shoes because they provide a level of unnatural assistance on the run are really not going to like Project Amplify.
Nike Project Amplify: 'Move faster and farther'
The Project Amplify system has been created with robotics partner Dephy and is made up of a cuff that sits on your calf that’s joined to a carbon plate running shoe, with a motor and drive belt built-in. It’s designed to help people go further and faster with less effort.
Nike says this is not a system built to help elites in their training, but for everyday athletes looking to run at a 10-minute per mile pace rather than a 12-minute per mile pace, or add an extra mile or two onto the end of their walk or run.
In this way it’s meant to have a similar effect to e-bikes, which make riding further and more regularly more accessible and help with commuting in particular.
“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 Nike.
“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.”
Pushing boundaries
I’m all for anything that makes running and walking more accessible, but this seems like a pretty radical solution, and one that’s likely going to cost the earth when it does launch — for now there’s no set timeline on when Project Amplify might be available to consumers.
It’s one of four innovative new pieces of technology Nike has unveiled today, with the others being neuro-science footwear to help train your brain, a jacket that offers adjustable warmth, and a new cooling system for apparel.
These launches showcase Nike’s commitment to innovation, and this has translated to some impressive new running shoes this year that are available, including the Nike Vomero Premium, which pushes boundaries with its mega-stack of cushioning.
The Vomero Premium is incredibly comfortable, but doesn’t actually do any of the running for you, and that’s where Project Amplify enters strange new territory. At what point does the shoe take over entirely?
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