Bionic Boot: Here’s the Tool That Lets You Run Like an Ostrich

We know that Usain Bolt, a Jamaican sprinter, retired in 2017 is the fastest man alive in the world as he ran the 100-meter and the 200-meter in 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds, respectively. It’s no secret that many people are speed freaks. A man from San Francisco who launched the Bionic Boot came up with a new idea for uncovering the secret of how an ostrich can reach top speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour, or 45 mph.

Keahi Seymour has pursued his dream to create a tool that would allow him for running like an ostrich for years. A documentary he watched when he was 12 years old became the turning point of his life in the shade of his curiosity to comprehend how animals running fast stocked up energy. “They were talking about how these hyper-fast animals store elastic energy in their Achilles tendons,” he said, referring to the documentary. “I immediately thought, ‘Why can’t a human use that same spring-like energy to run faster?” said Seymour.

Then, the San Franciscan outlined what he thought. The drawings you can see just below are called Bionic Boot today.

First drawings of the Bionic Boot

Seymour dived into figuring out biology and nature and concluded that the ostrich was the fastest bipedal animal that can keep its speed up to 30 minutes. The boots make you feel like to have a superman ability since the company’s founder was involved in different designs not only mechanically but also aesthetically. He says he can run up at 25 miles per hour. But it is still insufficient compared with that living creature.

A close look at the Bionic Boot

The springs attached to the boots are inspired by the achilles tendons of an ostrich. Also, this system reminds us of how a kangaroo run. Pistons are aimed to be added to the boots so that people could reach high speeds to race against an ostrich. Meanwhile, we cannot view the Bionic Boot’s website to see the fate of the project.

These boots have a tension spring itself which stores energy with each stride. “As you push off, it recoils like a catapult and gives you a longer stride length giving increased speed and mobility,” explains Seymour. With this revolutionary approach, the Bionic’s product acts like an animal’s artificial foot pivoting well on the ground. Even while running on uneven terrain, it protects mobility.

The evolution of the Bionic Boot

“These boots look like science fiction but they actually work,” said Matt Parker, a mathematician. “Using these boots, this guy can run at 25 miles per hour. The actual world record of human running is 28 an hour that’s 45 kilometers per hour, said Usain Bolt.”

Would you like to move around your city with high mobility and great speed, wearing a pair of Bionic Boot?

Keahi Seymour against an ostrich