Whether we need to run for errands, go to an office, or take a thrilling hike, every activity involves walking some distance (be it short or long). However, many people are cutting down on daily walking, even to shorter distances.
It is because of easily accessible modes of transportation via vehicles. But lack of walking is leading to certain health issues, like obesity. And, of course, using too many cars on the road is ruining our environment.
To address the issues caused by vehicles and our less walking habits, Phua Wei Qiang Frederick, industrial and lead vehicle designer, has come up with conceptual footwear — City Glider — to encourage people to walk more by extending walking threshold limit.
City Glider is a shoe with pneumatic system inside the sole. The system (located below the heel counter) propels you forward when your heel strikes the ground.
Reason behind designing pneumatically propelled shoe
By encouraging able-bodied people to walk more, the designer intends to take people off crowded public transportation and reduce reliance on automobiles.
According to Phua, this concept shoe can help people reduce health cost on lifestyle diseases, traffic congestion, carbon emissions, and accidents.
Meanwhile, this sustainable form of mobility will increase more spaces for social activities. With City Glider shoes, even people will reap the health benefits of therapeutic walking.
Greater walking cadence and stride length with City Glider
Pneumatically propelled walking in City Gliders shoes increases your walking cadence and stride length. The conceptual shoes include pneumatic mechanical systems that are powered by energy generated from the body (with heel strike) while walking.
It further propels the use forward during the mid-stance moment of the gait cycle. Thanks to this mechanism, a user’s distance coverage will increase by up to 10%.
Furthermore, the comfortable design of the footwear helps to reduce foot, knee, and ankle pains due to the built-in shock absorption system.
An effort toward a sustainable future
With reduced impact on your feet and a travelator-like mechanism under your feet, your ability to walk longer distances will increase effortlessly. This next-generation footwear will also let you eliminate the frequent need to use motor vehicles for short trips.
Hence, less impact will be on the environment. That said, it is likely to take us a major step toward a sustainable and efficient future.
Nonetheless, we are not sure when this conceptual footwear will reach the production phase. But we appreciate the designer’s intention behind this innovative design. This single design resolved the two major human issues: health concerns and environmental pollution.
