Do you want to get the latest gaming industry news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our daily and weekly newsletters here. Shift Robotics has unveils Moonwalkers X as the latest version of its robotic shoes.The Austin, Texas-based company made the announcement ahead of CES 2024, the tech trade show in Las Vegas next week.The Moonwalkers X is an enhanced iteration of the original Moonwalkers model, with improvements in weight, agility, and safety. The company aims to change the landscape of workplace mobility with these Robocop shoes.Distinguished by a host of advanced features, the Moonwalkers X exhibit several key enhancements compared to their predecessors.

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google NewsThese “robotic shoes,” which are billed as “the world’s fastest shoes,” promise to more than double your walking speed, thanks to an 8-wheeled electric drivetrain and an adaptive AI system.The Moonwalkers, from Shift Robotics, were chosen by TIME as one of the 200 Best Inventions of 2023, but is this the micromobility innovation we need, or is it a solution in search of a problem? I mean, humans already know how to walk pretty dang well, and can easily increase our walking speed instinctively, without the need for any batteries or motors, but evidently it struck a nerve with some people, as the team behind it was able to raise more than $300,000 on Kickstarter last year.According to the company website, Moonwalkers are “the first-ever mobility device that allows you to walk at the speed of a run. Designed with an adaptive A.I. drivetrain, you can cover more distance — at your own pace.” With a top speed of 7 mph and a range between charges of 5 to 7 miles, these “robotic” shoes can be strapped on over your regular shoes, and are said to be built to handle “rough urban terrain.” The Moonwalkers feature regenerative braking and a 90-minute charge time, weigh a little over 5 pounds each, and have a weight limit of some 220 pounds.At first glance, they appear to be something akin to roller skates, but they don’t freewheel, so they appear to be a fair bit easier to learn how to use than skates, and according to Shift Robotics, they can quickly be put into “lock” mode for times when the propulsion isn’t needed or wanted. The regenerative braking feature is said to help control the descent speed, and the shoes’ AI system will bring the user to a stop within 3 feet, so unlike skates, there doesn’t seem to be a danger of slamming into things as there is for newbie skaters.Now, color me skeptical, but these $1399 wheeled shoes don’t seem to be something prone to wide adoption, at least to the general public who wants to simply walk faster on their daily commute. They are yet another thing that needs to be charged and maintained, and kept track of or stored when not in use, and I imagine that using them indoors in public spaces might attract unwanted attention from the powers that be, which may not appreciate wheeled walkers in and around stores or businesses