steve hiker
03-18-2003, 20:42
From Ananova, Story filed: 12:24 Monday 17th March 2003
Walking boots fitted with tiny combustion engines are set for production in Russia.
Inventor Viktor Gordejev, from Ufa in the Ural Mountains, says the boots cut the energy of walking by about 70%.
As soon as the wearer steps forward with one foot, the engines propel the other one forward.
Mr Gordejev says inspiration came 30 years ago when he was serving in the Soviet army.
He explained: "I always wished my boots had engines as we had to walk miles every day. That's how I came up with the idea."
The boots will retail for about £600 a pair when they go on sale in Russia later this year.
Boris Rudoi, head of the Space Travel Institute in Ufa which helped Gordejev realise his dream, says there has been considerable interest in pre-orders and talks are already underway with partners to market the boots internationally.
He added the boots had to be closely guarded from Japanese and American industrial spies during their development.
Walking boots fitted with tiny combustion engines are set for production in Russia.
Inventor Viktor Gordejev, from Ufa in the Ural Mountains, says the boots cut the energy of walking by about 70%.
As soon as the wearer steps forward with one foot, the engines propel the other one forward.
Mr Gordejev says inspiration came 30 years ago when he was serving in the Soviet army.
He explained: "I always wished my boots had engines as we had to walk miles every day. That's how I came up with the idea."
The boots will retail for about £600 a pair when they go on sale in Russia later this year.
Boris Rudoi, head of the Space Travel Institute in Ufa which helped Gordejev realise his dream, says there has been considerable interest in pre-orders and talks are already underway with partners to market the boots internationally.
He added the boots had to be closely guarded from Japanese and American industrial spies during their development.