Nike has caused quite a stir these days with a sneaker called "Amplify". This combines mechanical components with a conventional running shoe design: it contains a lightweight motor, a drive belt and a rechargeable battery integrated in the ankle area. All components are built into the shoe. The technology is based on movement algorithms developed in-house to support the natural movements of the lower leg and ankle.

Unlike typical competition shoes, Project Amplify is not aimed at competitive runners. Instead, the system is aimed at people who want to walk or jog faster or further with less effort. In tests with more than 400 test subjects, some were able to improve their kilometer pace from around 7:30 minutes to around 6:00 minutes thanks to the Amplify.

Nike is working with robotics partner Dephy on further development to make the system accessible to a wide audience in the coming years. The prototype is currently still in the early testing phase. There is no information yet about a market launch.

Trend: motorization of outdoor sports

It remains to be seen whether the futuristic shoe will ever make it onto the shelves. However, the development fits in with the current trend of supporting all conceivable forms of movement in outdoor sports with a motor. The e-bike was a forerunner in this field three decades ago, and today it is impossible to imagine the trails without it. However, it remains to be seen whether technologies such as motorized running shoes or electrified hiking pants will also become established.

With shoes such as the Amplify, it is not primarily about making good and athletic runners even faster. Rather, the option is to open up opportunities for weaker or limited people that would otherwise be denied to them. That in itself is an appealing approach. At the same time, it raises one of the key questions in the current debate about e-mountainbikes. Does everything really have to be accessible to everyone? How much value remains in a sport in which everything becomes "convenient"? The Amplify is sure to provoke discussion before the first model ever lands on a shelf.