Robot shoes can help you walk 3x faster; how do they work?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Named one of Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2023,” Moonwalkers are one of the most interesting shoes you will likely see. Designed by Austin-based Shift Robotics, they initially look like roller skates, but motors and artificial intelligence allow users wearing these “robot shoes” to walk three times faster than they normally would.

“I have always been excited and interested in personal mobility,” said Xunjie Zhang, CEO of Shift Robotics.

Zhang studied robotics and two-legged movement at Carnegie Mellon University. After a car accident involving a scooter, Zhang noticed that people walking on sidewalks were safer than scooters and bikes.

“I start asking myself why I never walked, even though walking is the safest way of getting around the cities.”

Walking with the robots

We tested out the company’s Moonwalkers to learn how they work. While they look like roller skates, motorized wheels propel you forward with each step. It feels like walking on one of those moving walkways in an airport, except you can control where you’re going.

“You have a very big push or force to the ground, we will accelerate at the same time. But as soon as you release and you transition into what we call a control fall, we stop giving you more gas to continue accelerating,” Zhang said.

Artificial intelligence in the shoes detects your movement and changes speeds based on your needs. If you start slowing down, the shoes slow down. If you speed up, they speed up. Sudden stops or turns — the shoes calculate it all.

Computers in the shoes measure where your feet are at all times.

“When we walk, there’s what we call the gait cycles. And you’ll repeat those gait cycles over and over again.” The AI studies these walk cycles and makes adjustments from there. It makes thousands of calculations, sharing date between the shoes, each second.

“We’re just looking at the massive variety of people, how they walk together, how they walk differently, but also, then you move on to a different scenario,” Zhang said.

The shoes are designed to walk on a variety of surfaces, with the wheels placed to prevent cracks and rough terrain from causing issues.

Robot shoes on the streets

The shoes can be bought on the company’s website. Moonwalkers typically run for $1,399, but are on sale for the holidays.

The shoes’ batteries can last up to an hour and take 90 minutes to recharge.

There are some restrictions. You must have between size 9 and 12 for men, with women needing between 10.5 and 13.5. The max recommended weight is 220 lbs. The shoes lose efficiency after that.

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