If you’ve ever wished your morning jog feel more effortless, Nike might just be working on the answer. They’re developing a pair of powered sneakers, currently dubbed ‘Project Amplify’, which are designed to give your pace a proper boost.
Created in collaboration with robotics startup Dephy, the system is being pitched as a ‘second set of calf muscles’ for everyday runners and walkers. The first-generation model is a clever bit of kit: it pairs a running shoe with a carbon fibre plate to a separate unit worn on the calf. This external pack houses a rechargeable battery, a motor, and a drive belt that works together to give you a push.
Crucially, this isn’t about replacing your own effort. Think of it more like an e-bike for your feet – you’re still doing the work, but you’ve got an electric motor giving you a helpful nudge. Nike claims the effect is significant, making an incline feel like flat ground and, for some testers, turning a 12-minute mile into a 10-minute one.
To get to this point, Dephy and the Nike Sport Research Lab put over 400 athletes through their paces, testing various prototypes across a staggering 2.4 million steps.
For now, Project Amplify remains firmly in the testing phase. But if all goes to plan, Nike expects to bring this powered footwear system to a wider audience in the next few years.