There's always some wearable trend that comes out. Some are functional, and some are simply decorative. The latest robotic shoes from Shift Robotics are a bit of both, and the company announced that they will introduce the new gadget at this year's CES event.
Moonwalkers X
Compared to the previous version of the robotic shoes, the upcoming Moonwalkers will have six wheels instead of ten. With it being lightweight after the company reduced its weight by a pound, it would be easier for the user to control it regarding turns and stops.
The control system has also seen an overhaul, making the shoes both convenient and safer to use. The company boasts that the latest model has improved shock absorption which can help decrease or eliminate the risk of repetitive injury.
Moonwalkers X are suitable for most people, but they are specifically designed for business and commercial use. Particularly, it can be of great help to individuals whose work relies on walking up to 30,000 steps a day such as distribution and logistics.
Shift Robotics Founder and CEO, Xunjie Zhang expressed that with the robotic shoes, they have " redefined lightweight mobility by trimming nearly a pound from the original design." Ultimately, the goal is to enhance productivity without compromising safety.
The company claims that workers from the shipping industry who use the Moonwalkers more than doubled their productivity, adding that using the gadgets will save almost 400 hours per year in travel time since some workers do a lot of walking on the job.
There's also a certain level of advantage as the gadget is named as one of the "Best Inventions of 2023" by TIME. They use AI software to measure the stride of the wearer 100 times per second, which enables the shoes to adjust to the movement of the user.
Shift Robotics has already reserved a limited quantity of the upcoming robotic shoes for innovative companies that are interested. As for others, they will have to wait for the official release date of the shoes, which will be in the first half of 2024.
Will This Technology Catch On?
That's hard to say, considering that there are a lot of alternatives that people can use in terms of micromobility. When it comes to traveling short distances, people would prefer using electric scooters since it could be easier to maneuver for some.
Let's not forget the short-lived trend of the hoverboard, which is a two-wheel platform that doesn't come with handles. It was all the rage for a while until it wasn't. It was also deemed unsafe as they would sometimes run out of battery mid-drive.
With that said, the Moonwalkers are obviously preferable when it comes to indoor use since you can't exactly drive a scooter around during work. The robotic shoes are intended to make walking faster without having to use your hands like you would in a scooter.
It can be a good investment when it comes to increasing productivity. The nano-mobility tech won't get in the way of work and even make walkers up to three times faster. They're also easy to wear since you can just strap them onto your shoes.
