Shift Robotics Moonwalkers: Road Test
Strap a pair of Moonwalkers to your feet and you can “walk at the speed of a run”. But how on Earth do you stop?
WHAT IS IT? Great news for lazy bastards! It’s a set of self-propelling footwear.
GOSH, THAT IS LAZY. Yes. You strap the Moonwalkers onto your feet then just walk normally – an electric drivetrain powers the ten wheels on each sole, pushing you along at up to 11kmh. “Walk at the speed of a run!” gushes the US-based Shift Robotics.
SOUNDS TRICKY. It actually doesn’t require any skill, because AI software monitors your gait, momentum and balance, and adjusts the power instantly. You know when you’re striding along the moving walkway at the airport, walking normally but going really fast? It feels like that.
DO THEY FREEWHEEL, LIKE ROLLER SKATES? No. If you stop walking you’ll come to a halt, from top speed, in about a metre. The wheels automatically lock when you’re climbing stairs, too.
ANYTHING ELSE? The range is about 10km, and they recharge via a USB-C port. Shift Robotics claims they’re “all-terrain”, which is a bit far-fetched, but take ’em bushwalking if you like! What have you got to lose? I mean, apart from your front teeth.
$2179, shiftrobotics.io
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