These are real, and by all indications, they have enormous potential to make a splash in our everyday lives. We are talking about a type of skates that you can wear with a lot of caution.
Everything is simpler: steps, descents, and ascents. However, they are costly!
Therefore, we are talking about Shift Robotics' product that allows anyone to go 11 km/h, which is three times faster than a "normal human being's."
Despite some improvements, Moonwalkers are nothing more than skates that fit into any shoe.
These skates come off well when you want them to. (They stop on stairs, serving as regular footwear. They slow down on descents, and stop with predefined movements).
Imagine that you just lift your heel and the wheels completely block your way. To reconnect, just lift your heel again, and make a circular motion with your foot.
Shift's founder (Xunjie Zhang) said the idea came to his mind after an accident on his scooter on his way to work.
All of this with the intention of making something safer, simpler to use, and, of course, more convenient. Interestingly, according to the CEO, no learning is required, thanks to an AI system capable of learning the user's walking in just ten steps.
The objective is to make the traditional "walk" much easier! What is the cost of these items? They aren't that expensive, really!
More information is available here.
