Shift Robotics Launches Moonwalkers Dusk: AI-Powered Robotic Footwear Built to Expand What the Human Body Can Do

Step out. Light up. Combining Physical AI, tailored sizing, and continuous light, the lightest Moonwalkers ever built make walking at the speed of a run as natural as taking a step.

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shift Robotics announced the launch of Moonwalkers Dusk, the lightest and most refined AI-powered robotic footwear in the Moonwalkers lineup.

Dusk fuses advanced Physical AI that allows technology to perceive and respond to movement in the physical world. The new model introduces fitted S-M-L sizing, custom colorways, and continuous LED illumination. Powering the experience is a redesigned Shift app paired with a next-generation S.E.N.S.A. (Stable, Efficient, Natural, Synchronized, Adaptive) gait model. Engineered to free the human body from physical limits, Moonwalkers Dusk is built for a generation that values street style, shared outdoor experiences, and the relationship between movement and wellness.

"Understanding how we walk is fundamental to overall health, so we built Dusk to turn everyday movement into active intelligence. It's not intelligence that exists separately from the physical world. It's intelligence that can perceive movement and respond to it. The more we understand how people move, the more naturally technology can work with them. It gives users the tools to go further while making every outdoor journey feel exciting, seamless, and social," said Xunjie Zhang, CEO and founder of Shift Robotics.

Step out. Light up.

Sized to Fit. Colorful by Design.
Dusk is the first Moonwalkers model sized directly to a person’s shoe size and styled for their wardrobe. Available in three sizes — Small, Medium and Large — cover US Men's 4–13 and US Women's 5–14, with the strap conforming across each band. It’s also available in three distinct finishes including Cedar, Heliotrope, and Obsidian, Dusk reads as fashion before the machine.

The Lightest Moonwalkers Ever Built
At just ~3.5 lb per shoe, Dusk Small weighs 3.5 lb per shoe — a third lighter than the original and 20% lighter than Aero. Every size is lighter than any Moonwalkers before it. It accelerates a person’s natural stride to 7 mph across all sizes, letting them move at more than double a normal walking pace with complete stability.

Continuous Illumination and Gesture Control
A continuous line of running LED light traces Dusk’s silhouette, drawing the shoe in the dark before it’s seen. Glowing on the ground below and visible from every angle, the light flows at the exact pace of a person’s movement. There’s also an intuitive interface: swipe left foot for Indoor mode, swipe right foot for Shift mode with no phone required.

AI Responds to the Person's Movement
At the core of Moonwalkers Dusk is Shift Robotics' next-generation S.E.N.S.A. gait model that uses intent recognition to interpret the wearer's movement and adapt assistance in real time. A running-gait detector distinguishes between walking, running and jumping, while slope estimation detects changes in grade and adjusts assistance accordingly. The system can self-adapt to a wearer's stride within 10 steps.

The Shift App, which will be available in late October, adds a second layer of movement intelligence, providing insight into five gait signals: speed reserve, propulsion efficiency, push-off power, force symmetry, and step-timing rhythm. Together, the system and app provide a picture of how the wearer moves while using Dusk. This approach is central to Shift Robotics' vision for Physical AI: technology that works with the human body's movement rather than requiring people to adapt themselves to the machine.

All-Day Comfort, Consistent Range and User Customization
A two-dimensional living hinge follows the foot's natural roll rather than forcing a rigid pivot like the previous generation. The luxury puffer strap, featuring an EVA core between PU leather layers and an embedded fiberglass plate, conforms without pressure points and secures with a hidden magnetic buckle.

Tabless cells, a split-path BMS, and motor vent through-flow double continuous power delivery. In internal testing, it holds a steady range in 95°F summer heat or 65°F autumn evenings.

Built to age by renewal, not decay, straps, exterior plastics, and wheel rims swap tool-lessly for restyling, while wheels change in five minutes using simple Allen keys.

Moonwalkers Dusk At A Glance

• Website: https://shiftrobotics.io/
• Weight per Shoe: 3.5 lb (1.60 kg) in Small, 3.8 lb (1.73 kg) in Medium, 4.2 lb (1.95 kg) in Large.
• Top Speed: 7.0 mph
• Battery / Range: Double continuous power delivery via tabless cells and split-path BMS; maintains consistent range performance across temperature extremes (65°F–95°F)
• Charge Time: 90 minutes
• Maximum User Weight: 220 lbs
• Shoe-Size Range: Available in Small, Medium, and Large (S, M, L)
  • Small: US Men: 4 – 6 / US Women: 5 – 8
  • Medium: US Men: 6 – 9 / US Women: 8 – 10
  • Large: US Men: 9 – 13 / US Women: 10 – 14
• Motor & Powertrain Specs: Upgraded thermal management featuring motor vent through-flow to halve internal resistance
• Indoor / Outdoor Capability: Indoor for commercial use and outdoor capable; features built-in gesture control (swipe left on the LED interface for Indoor mode, swipe right for Shift mode)
• Wet Conditions Capability: IP54
• Warranty: 1 year
• Expected Lifespan: Designed for renewal over decay via tool-less quick-swappable straps, exterior plastics, and wheel rims
• What Comes in the Box: Dusk, Charger, Carrying Case, Cleaning Tool, Cue Card
• Price: $1,199
  
  

Engineered by Leaders in Robotics and Footwear
Shift Robotics is driven by a team of engineers from Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, Georgia Institute of Technology, DJI, and Tesla. Combining deep expertise across exoskeletons, humanoid robotics, athletic footwear design, advanced motor and battery control, and precision manufacturing, the team designed Dusk to build foundational knowledge of human movement and redefine personal mobility.

Multimedia Assets:
Download high-resolution images and video here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18iuXH_Lf17t-aGVwOsAVJSiZVbyIow7G?usp=sharing

About Shift Robotics
Shift Robotics is working toward one mission: to free our bodies from their physical limits. Its work spans three pillars — Human Augmentation, Movement Intelligence and Mobility Sustainability — powered by the SENSA Engine, a gait model built on real people’s movement. Moonwalkers, the company's first product line, break the iron law of pedestrian movement by delivering vehicle speed and pedestrian freedom at the same time. Learn more on our website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/21a622f4-7fec-4531-8f0b-cb87a422622c
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/23f0e65e-96ee-4913-9882-ec1d9c1c9111
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5aa3f42-7d96-423c-a8a3-478073d8887b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/90e76109-1c28-49e9-ac3e-b341182761d8
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/41080f2d-3d3a-4d0b-afca-fd3adb135593

A video accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae084199-6e21-4ffb-94cd-d2610a55c364

Media contact:
Maria Semblante
maria@shiftrobotics.io

Moonwalkers Dusk Lifestyle All-Day Comfort

At the core of Moonwalkers Dusk is Shift Robotics' next-generation S.E.N.S.A. gait model that uses intent recognition to interpret the wearer's movement and adapt assistance in real time.

Shift Robotics Moonwalkers Dusk

Shift Robotics announced the launch of Moonwalkers Dusk, the lightest and most refined AI-powered robotic footwear in the Moonwalkers lineup.

Moonwalkers Dusk Lifestyle

Combining Physical AI, tailored sizing, and continuous light, the lightest Moonwalkers ever built make walking at the speed of a run as natural as taking a step.

Moonwalkers Dusk Lifestyle Continuous Illumination and Gesture Control

A continuous line of running LED light traces Dusk’s silhouette, drawing the shoe in the dark before it’s seen. Glowing on the ground below and visible from every angle, the light flows at the exact pace of a person’s movement.

Moonwalkers Dusk

Dusk fuses advanced Physical AI that allows technology to perceive and respond to movement in the physical world. The new model introduces fitted S-M-L sizing, custom colorways, and continuous LED illumination.