Interesting technology and concept from an inventor who cares about your feet, the Directional Axial Magnetic Propulsion Systems has made its way into the combat boot market.
The basic concept behind this is that DAMPS puts two opposing magnets in the heel of the boot that serve to mitigate the impact of a heel strike. DAMPS says that their so-called "smart boots" reduce heel strike by nearly 70 percent.
Inventor Jeff Brown told the Military Boots Blog:
In a proprietary advanced suspension/propulsion design, the like poles of DAMPS super magnets repel each other. These magnets are 30 times more powerful than your typical refrigerator magnets. That means soldiers are walking on the magnet polarity field created by these super magnets. The result? Heel strike is reduced by over 68 percent. Instead of hitting the ground at two to three times your body weight per square inch, DAMPS reduces that impact by 68 percent. Heel strike injury, plantar fasciitis, is the No. 1 injury seen by podiatrists.In addition in normal walking gait, the DAMPS suspension systems actually adds real time propulsion, as the system returns to the starting unloaded force position.
So the Smart Boots not only mitigate heel strike, but they actually help propel the trooper into his next step. Brown says the boots help someone who's walked 10 miles feel like they've walked the equivalent of three.
Of course, every mad scientist with an invention like this says they're being tested by Special Forces and the like. And so does Brown.
We call it “the DAMPS One Step Difference.” Ask SORSE (Special Operations Research Development Test and Evaluation). They used and evaluated the boots for nine months, and they liked them. They were able to both fast rope them and conduct a HALO jump with them in the last two months. The evaluation said the boots were excellent for field wear, especially while under heavy loads.After recommendation, our smart boots are now being evaluated at CENTCOM (U.S. Central Command) and AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command).
True or not, it is an interesting concept for jumpers...Anyone have any experience with this technology, we'd like to hear from you.
Watch a video of Jeff Brown explaining his technology (and asking for investment).
