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Home / News / How to run faster with no training: step 1 – wear a jetpack

How to run faster with no training: step 1 – wear a jetpack

What could possibly go wrong?

Rocket boots. They’re an idea that every bright-eyed child has conjured up at at some point, long before the crushing responsibilities  of adulthood shattered their visions with issues like ‘the laws of physics’ and ‘safety’.

Thankfully, some of those children have grown up and are now at Arizona State University, and while rocket boots are still a way off, they’ve still managed to create a jetpack to help you run faster.

The 4MM (four minute mile) project consists of a miniature 5kg jetpack which is strapped to a runner’s lower back, and it’s angled to propel users forward, increasing their forward momentum.

Not only does this increase natural running speeds, but it also decreases the energy requirements of a non-assisted run.

In testing, one runner shaved 18 seconds off his 5min 20sec mile time by using the jetpack. While not massively faster on paper, it could be the difference between life and death in military scenarios, which is one of the potential use cases.

It’s still in its early development stage, but we’re just glad there are people out there working on ways to increase our athleticism without us actually having to train.

Now if only they’d combine it with roller-skates…

[ASU via Pocket-lint]

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About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.