No, we aren’t talking about the retro shoes used by Michael Jackson to perform his trademark Moonwalk move. These are a latest shoe technology currently undergoing crowdfunding at IndieGoGo. At 99 $ per pair, eyebrows are continuously being raised at the Physics behind this whole concept, but still it has managed to raise almost 500% of its intended target of 20,000 $ worth of funding. So, let us take a look at its design and find out more about it.
Everybody has seen the historic video of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin taking their first steps on the moon. They appear to be jump-walking on the surface with reduced gravitational effects as the moon’s pulling force is much weaker than that of the Earth itself. It seems fun, doesn’t it? The 20:16 moonwalker shoes are attempting to recreate the same feeling of long jumps and soft landings. According to the IndieGoGo page, they use powerful N45 magnets in the soles that are strategically placed to repel each other. This creates a strong enough force that can supposedly make aid you in your jumps. The sole of the shoe is a foamy design that follows the unique shape of your feet and help you moonwalk with ease. I guess the foam alone could do a moonwalking on its own.
The N45 magnets are embedded between the two sole layers in its design. They are powerful Neodymium magnets that are made of a rare-earth metal and the strongest ones available commercially. They are normally used for lifting heavy things. Theoretically, it can give you a boost that will seem like moonwalking. But, is there enough scientific backing on this?
One thing is for sure, even if the results aren’t that encouraging, this new pressure absorbing technology could well be the technology of the future shoes. Hoverboards and other floating transporters are near, and we will need more cushioning in our feet than we usually have to survive the potential falls!
