It’s not a jetpack, but the buzz around them is still loud. Inventor Peter Treadway, in collaboration with Action Inc., has introduced a pair of motorized shoes called SpnKiX. The idea takes something everyone wears—shoes—and adds discreet propulsion and wheels so a person can glide along footpaths with minimal effort. In practice, the device blends footwear design with compact robotics, a small powertrain, and a control system that keeps the motion steady when the wearer shifts their weight. The goals behind SpnKiX are practical and playful at once: reduce the effort required to cover short urban hops, offer a new kind of mobility for campuses, airports, and shopping districts, and spark conversations about safety and etiquette in crowded spaces. Early demonstrations have shown the concept in controlled settings, giving observers a sense of how the shoes respond to speed, turns, and stopping. Tech enthusiasts point to the potential for last-mile convenience where parking is scarce or transit is far away; urban planners imagine new micro-mobility ecosystems that could integrate devices like SpnKiX with bike lanes and pedestrian zones. Skeptics caution that any device that moves people at speed among pedestrians will need rigorous testing, clear guidelines, and a design that makes it easy to disengage if something goes wrong. Supporters say that having a lightweight, self-propelled shoe could complement existing mobility choices without forcing people to take on more tasks, like carrying a separate controller or learning a new stance. All of this sits at an early stage, but it’s a sign of how far wearable robotics and motorized innovation have come in recent years.