‘World’s fastest shoes’ increase speed by 250%, say US makers

The high-tech shoes are expected to launch next year. (Image credit: Shift Robotics)

A US-based company says it has built the world's fastest shoes that enable wearers to walk 250 percent faster.

Called Moonwalkers, they are capable of navigating hills and uneven sidewalks, their makers, Shift Robotics, said.

Moonwalkers are not skates, even though they look like them, the company located in Pennsylvania said.

"They’re highly engineered additions to your shoes that you strap on and walk at the speed of a run," they added.

Users don't have to worry about learning to walk in them. The wearables, powered by artificial intelligence, are intuitive and will never let you run out of control, according to the makers.

Moonwalkers' multi-layer brake protection also ensures there is no freewheeling.

The eight-wheel footwear can be operated using foot-driven gesture controls.

Moonwalkers will prove to be game-changers in the field of urban mobility, Shift Robotics CEO Xunjie Zang said.

"Moonwalkers are a completely new invention," he added. "They defy any category out there.

It was Xunjie's  personal experience with commuting that made him think of ways to make walking faster and more effective.

He was once almost hit by a car while riding a scooter. That led him to think why he didn't walk to work.

But finding it slow and inefficient, he decided to something to enhance the experience. He went to study at Carnegie Mellon's Robotic Institute and spend four years working on locomotion. Finally, he found a solution with Moonwalkers.

Their sale started earlier this week as part of a kickstarter campaign. They are expected to launch fully next year with a price tag of $1,399.