Is there a difference in pressure between when a person brings their foot down and when they start to actually step?
It's worded horribly but the context would be a pair of shoes that, with hand waving, can create a normal force that can support the user, allowing them to walk in air. But if I want the shoes to work inherently they have to know when a person wants the force and when they don't or else they just end up climbing forever. The story involves these such shoes being available for sale, but I don't know if the characters would need to hold buttons, use neural control etc. to trigger the "platform" or if the shoes could do all the work.
Is there a significant pressure difference that a person exerts with their foot when they are bringing their foot down (before hitting ground) vs when they hit ground and start to actually put their weight on the foot?