4 ms·

Isn't this the exact concept of those running blades used by paraathletes? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex-Foot_Cheetah https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl

by soneca 8y ago

Isn't this the exact concept of those running blades used by paraathletes? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex-Foot_Cheetah https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex-Foot_Cheetah These use carbon fibre and if I recall correctly are proved to be a more efficient tool for running competitions than natural legs. There is debate if it should be allowed on regular competitions or if it counts as "doping". A similar design adapted to able-bodied people might be a better solution than his metal structure design. I think this is the downside of working solo and focusing solely on registering patents and getting rich. You miss how other people contributions could improve your product.

huhtenberg 8y ago
There's also the whole "jumping stilts" category that appears to have peaked few years ago and now subsided to almost zero. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_stilts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_stilts
- telesilla 8y ago
  Those are great if you can wear stilts, which I can't (well, I did when I was a kid but I don't have great balance). What I'd like is just something small that makes my step bounce: kids get to have those little roller balls in their sneakers. Why can't I have a pair that just lets me jump a little bit with my step? It would make running and playing so much fun.
  - jniedrauer 8y ago
    It'd be useful for me on mountain descents as well. I really love steep descents on snowshoes because the landing is so soft. Ice/rock descents hurt. Having a little spring at the bottom of your stride would go a long way to saving the knees.
    - mstade 8y ago
      More commonly, walking down stairs is a known knee-killer. This kind of product could be extremely viable for people who do a lot of walking at work – e.g. nurses, anyone in the hospitality industry, beat cops, etc.
    - idoubtit 8y ago
      Trekking shoes have a device to absorbs the shocks, which is usually a gaz or gel layer inside the sole. Unfortunately, this cannot absorb much, since a thick sole would reduce the stability of the foot. By the way, always walking with shock absorbers has bad physiological consequences on the feet and knees. I think the best way to protect the knees, aside from soft snow and screes, is to lower the body when walking down, and absorb the shock using the thighs' muscles.
  - gkop 8y ago
    I remember "moon boots" advertised in Boys' Life when I was a kid, that promised something like this. So I googled a bit and found https://www.bounceshoestore.com/ https://www.bounceshoestore.com/ , is that sort of like what you had in mind?
- saalweachter 8y ago
  Frankly the entire set of products just terrifies me. I can break, like, my entire face by falling wrong while walking at normal speeds, or twist my ankle or screw up my knee by stepping wrong while walking around the house. I have to assume the failure cases associated with jumping stilts and magic running boots are just spectacularly awful, and I am way too middle-aged to deal with any of that.
  - tluyben2 8y ago
    The problem is that often middle-aged cannot deal with that anymore; an unlucky injury on/after that age can ruin the rest of your life and shorten it considerably. So many people who did things like ski/snowboard all their life but fell wrong and messed up their knee over 45 and now they cannot really do most sports they enjoyed anymore. People are not that into change usually when they get older so it's often quite physical but also mental issue for them.
yborg 8y ago
>$15k-$18k a blade Seems like even less of a viable approach for a mass-market product. Actually, Seymour would probably have been better off selling his boots in this price range as toys for people with too much disposable income.

by soneca 8y ago

huhtenberg 8y ago

There's also the whole "jumping stilts" category that appears to have peaked few years ago and now subsided to almost zero. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_stilts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_stilts

telesilla 8y ago
Those are great if you can wear stilts, which I can't (well, I did when I was a kid but I don't have great balance). What I'd like is just something small that makes my step bounce: kids get to have those little roller balls in their sneakers. Why can't I have a pair that just lets me jump a little bit with my step? It would make running and playing so much fun.
- jniedrauer 8y ago
  It'd be useful for me on mountain descents as well. I really love steep descents on snowshoes because the landing is so soft. Ice/rock descents hurt. Having a little spring at the bottom of your stride would go a long way to saving the knees.
  - mstade 8y ago
    More commonly, walking down stairs is a known knee-killer. This kind of product could be extremely viable for people who do a lot of walking at work – e.g. nurses, anyone in the hospitality industry, beat cops, etc.
  - idoubtit 8y ago
    Trekking shoes have a device to absorbs the shocks, which is usually a gaz or gel layer inside the sole. Unfortunately, this cannot absorb much, since a thick sole would reduce the stability of the foot. By the way, always walking with shock absorbers has bad physiological consequences on the feet and knees. I think the best way to protect the knees, aside from soft snow and screes, is to lower the body when walking down, and absorb the shock using the thighs' muscles.
- gkop 8y ago
  I remember "moon boots" advertised in Boys' Life when I was a kid, that promised something like this. So I googled a bit and found https://www.bounceshoestore.com/ https://www.bounceshoestore.com/ , is that sort of like what you had in mind?
saalweachter 8y ago
Frankly the entire set of products just terrifies me. I can break, like, my entire face by falling wrong while walking at normal speeds, or twist my ankle or screw up my knee by stepping wrong while walking around the house. I have to assume the failure cases associated with jumping stilts and magic running boots are just spectacularly awful, and I am way too middle-aged to deal with any of that.
- tluyben2 8y ago
  The problem is that often middle-aged cannot deal with that anymore; an unlucky injury on/after that age can ruin the rest of your life and shorten it considerably. So many people who did things like ski/snowboard all their life but fell wrong and messed up their knee over 45 and now they cannot really do most sports they enjoyed anymore. People are not that into change usually when they get older so it's often quite physical but also mental issue for them.

yborg 8y ago

>$15k-$18k a blade Seems like even less of a viable approach for a mass-market product. Actually, Seymour would probably have been better off selling his boots in this price range as toys for people with too much disposable income.