Does an unpowered clutch engage a spring in parallel with the Achilles tendon when the foot is on the ground, offloading the calf muscles and making walking easier?
I've studied a number of martial arts and body work disciplines. One thing we did was teach people is to walk more efficiently - it's not hard given that the average person just follows the example of their peers and then allows habitual muscle tension to gradually interfere.
The thing about this device is I suspect that even if did work, it would just allow people to just further lower their level of coordination and ultimately have rather poor health results.
Essentially "correct," or at least elegant, walking involves balance and a lack of tension. Naturally learning this requires a lot of direct experience since walking is primarily a reflex activity. However, walking is at the same a skill which can be learned and modified if someone looks into hands-on methods.
However, you can get some idea reading about The Alexander Technique, The Feldenkrais Method, Tai Chi and so forth.
I wonder if they also increase the efficiency of running. Maybe the first marathon runner to break the 2-hour barrier will be wearing them.
If the efficiency increase is significant, I could see it becoming common to wear for commuting to work. You could run longer distances with less wear on your body.
In the article they mention it's about a 7% efficiency increase, which they say is equivalent to taking of a 10 pound backpack. Which considering it's an unpowered device, it actually really impressive to me.
The running example would be fun to look at, but I think the benefit this could give to people who have trouble walking is even better. My grandfather had post polio syndrome which made walking incredibly difficult for him for most of his life. He didn't let it stop him, but you could see the pain on his face whenever he walked. I think something like this would have been beneficial for him.
I feel like the running community would shun them, since it's technically an method of assistance.
Besides, I bet for ultra-elite marathon runners, the bulk of the shoe would outweigh the benefits it provides. You're talking about people who wear super-light minimalist shoes because it gives them an advantage.
Depends on a lot of factors, including whether the public would like it (would they applaud the higher speeds or find it cheating?)
There already is a lot of assistance in athletics, not even limited to footwear. For example, running tracks have 9 lanes nowadays, even though only 8 people start in sprinting events. Reason? The innermost lane is softer, for middle and long distance runners; the other 8 are harder for the shorter distances.
On the other hand, it always surprises me that, in athletics, competitors wear numbers tied to their shirts with safety pins. Especially in the 100m and 200m, the one on the back of the runner must cause significant drag.
This is a paradox of runners and cyclists too. They use high-tech gear to make running easier - easier than a naked human can do it - but they refuse powered assistance. I don't understand why they make such a clear distinction between using gadgets to save power and using gadgets to provide more power. If it's about natural un-assisted ability, they shouldn't wear shoes either.
interesting. I didn't know that an unpowered clutch engages a spring in parallel with the Achilles tendon when the foot is on the ground, offloading the calf muscles and making walking easier.
