‘Bionic Boots’ are high-tech footwear that can help you reach running speeds comparable to professional athletes like Usain Bolt. The ultra light boots feature innovative springs inspired by the Achilles tendon of ostriches or kangaroos, lending the wearer more force while running and literally putting a spring in their stride.

The boots are the brainchild of inventor Keahi Seymour, who has always been fascinated by the effortless speed and agility of ostriches, the fastest running birds on the planet, with a top speed of 45 mph. He has been working on the gadget for several years, producing dozens of prototypes in the process.

“The Bionic Boots are the transportation of the future,” he explained. “They are meant to make a human run faster, inspired by fast land animals. The boots are comprised of a carbon fiber composite exoskeleton, and also aircraft grade aluminum. So the lightest materials were applied to provide the most efficient form of transportation.”

Seymour recently demonstrated the capabilities of his latest version of Bionic Boots at the Maker Faire in New York. They can help just about anyone reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40 kph), which is the same speed as a slow moving car. In comparison, Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, has clocked a top speed of 27.44 mph.

 Non-athletes running at the same speeds as Bolt without as much exertion, sounds awesome, but Seymour isn’t satisfied – he says he won’t rest until he creates boots that can outrun some of the fastest land animals on the planet!

Sources: Popular Science, The Higher Learning