Nike’s next big bet: turning middling runners into semi-cyborgs.
Driving the news: Nike is collaborating with bionic shoe brand Dephy on a motorized running shoe that promises to supercharge the bipedal experience. Dubbed Project Amplify, the product is still deep in development, with Nike aiming for a commercial release in 2028.
How it works: Amplify is sort of like a robot leg. A cuff, which slips around the wearer’s calf, attaches a motorized mechanical arm to the shoe. With each step, the motor lifts the shoe, alleviating the energy the wearer needs to expend and giving them a spring in their step.
- “It just didn’t feel like much effort,” wrote a GQ reporter who tried out the Amplify. “[It] makes your 5K PR feel like a casual trot, and a casual trot feel like a gentle stroll.”
Why it matters: The product isn’t aimed at elite athletes, but instead your average Joe jogger who wants a little help running longer, workers who are on their feet all day and could use some extra support, and mobility-impaired people who want to move more easily.
- That said, if you want to blow the minds of your Strava followers with a PR-shattering performance, early tests suggest that Amplify can quicken your pace by roughly 20%.
Zoom out: Get ready to see more out-of-the box ideas from Nike. CEO Elliott Hill — who took charge last year as the company lost market share to hot competitors and saw revenues slide — is betting on fancy tech and moonshots to turn the ship around.—QH
