Dephy Expands the Sidekick Footwear Line, Broadening Access to the World's Only Ankle-Powered Walking Technology

• Drawing on more than a decade of MIT biomechatronics research, the Sidekick is the only powered footwear system built at the ankle, the joint responsible for generating over half the energy needed to walk
  
  
• An expanded Sidekick footwear line now offers two designs for different foot shapes, each engineered around a carbon plate that transfers powered force from the ankle device through the foot to the ground
  
  
• Many of the conditions that affect everyday walking, along with the natural effects of aging, tend to widen the foot over time; for the people who live with those changes, footwear fit can determine whether powered walking is something they can access

BOXBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dephy, a pioneer in powered-walking and exoskeleton technology, today expanded its Sidekick footwear line with a new design built for standard-to-wide feet, broadening access to the world's first ankle-powered consumer wearable. The addition gives Sidekick users two purpose-built shoes to choose from, each engineered for different foot shapes and comfort preferences, and extends the system's available sizing to cover women's 4 through men's 16. For Dephy, the new shoe is more than a product-line extension; it's a wider doorway to powered walking.

An estimated 130 million American adults experience difficulty walking. For many, the limitation arrives gradually, reshaping everyday decisions long before it registers as a concern. Dephy calls this Personal Range Anxiety: the concern about how far a person can comfortably walk before discomfort or fatigue sets in. That concern narrows movement and erodes independence in ways that are difficult to see from the outside, because the walks that don't happen and the outings that get skipped leave no visible trace. The Sidekick is designed to address it by delivering adaptive assistance at push-off, working with the body's natural gait to extend range and reduce effort.

The technology behind the Sidekick began at MIT, where Dephy co-founder Hugh Herr's biomechatronics research established that the ankle is the most consequential joint for human walking. The calf and Achilles tendon generate over half the energy needed to move during roughly 100 milliseconds of push-off, a contribution most people attribute to larger muscle groups at the hips and knees. As people age, the muscles farthest from the body's core weaken first, and the calf is among the earliest to decline. That loss cascades upward, altering gait and increasing strain on joints never designed to compensate. The Sidekick learns each user's gait within the first 20 strides and delivers real-time assistance during push-off, working with the body's existing movement pattern rather than walking for you.

Dephy's footwear exists to transfer power from the Sidekick to the ground. Developed by a 20-year footwear industry veteran, the Sidekick shoe is built around a composite carbon ground reaction plate that runs the full length of the shoe. The powered ankle system clips directly onto the shoe through a CNC aluminum quick-attach interface. Unlike carbon fiber plates in performance running shoes, which are designed to flex and return energy as a propulsive spring, Dephy's plate must support the full assistance that the Sidekick delivers under dynamic forces while transferring torque from the device through the foot to the ground. Dephy voluntarily pursued independent third-party validation for the Sidekick and the device is TÜV certified for ISO 13482, the international safety standard for personal care robots, which governs the specific hazards created when a powered device operates in continuous physical contact with the human body.

The Sidekick's earliest users confirmed the quality of the powered experience and praised the original shoe's design and comfort. The early user base also made clear that wider feet are far more common among adults drawn to the Sidekick than the original shoe was built to serve, a pattern shaped by age and by the mobility challenges that drive interest in powered walking. The original shoe, most comfortable for standard-to-narrow feet with firmer EVA cushioning and higher arch support, meant some of the people most likely to benefit from the technology couldn't comfortably wear it. The new option uses softer supercritical foam on a wider last with less arch support and a lace-loop entry system designed for easier on and off. Both shoes share the carbon ground reaction plate, the quick-attach interface, and a breathable mesh upper. Dephy plans to continue expanding its footwear line, bringing the Sidekick within reach of a growing range of feet and the people who depend on them.

"The people who find us have already started making trade-offs they never expected to make. Shorter walks, fewer outings, more time calculating whether they can get through the day on their feet," said Luke Mooney, CEO and co-founder of Dephy. "The Sidekick gives them back the freedom to stop calculating, and a broader footwear line means that freedom reaches more of the people who have been waiting for it."

The Sidekick is available as a consumer wellness product for adults who want support for everyday walking, travel, outings, and time on their feet. The system includes compatible Dephy footwear, a pair of ankle-powered Sidekicks, rechargeable batteries, and personalized fit support from Dephy's customer experience team.

To learn more, request a fit consultation or purchase Sidekick, visit here.

About Dephy
Dephy is a bionic footwear and apparel company focused on creating human-centered technologies that enhance movement and independence. Its flagship product, the Sidekick, is a new category of personal bionic footwear designed to support natural walking and help people move farther with less effort in daily life. By combining proprietary engineering with deep insight into how people move, Dephy develops wearable systems that expand physical capability and support everyday mobility. Learn more at www.dephy.com.

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SOURCE Dephy