Now, football that produces electricity when kicked

Bs_logoImage
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Jul 04 2013 | 1:25 PM IST
A game of football may be the solution to your electricity woes!
Researchers have developed an innovative new football that produces power with every kick.
Much more than a normal soccer ball, the 'SOCCKET' is a portable generator that provides fun and power to those who play with it.
The ball harnesses kinetic energy which can then be used as an off-grid power source.
SOCCKET has a small pendulum inside that harnesses the energy of movement by turning a generator connected to a rechargeable battery.
Half an hour of play generates enough energy to power a small LED light for three hours, Uncharted Play, the company behind Soccket, said.
The airless ball, made from water-resistant EVA foam, weighs 17 ounces - just one ounce more than a regular football.
"Since we first prototyped the SOCCKET we have been fortunate to receive overwhelming demand and interest from people who want to use them for many purposes," the statement on the Kickstarter said.
Football is the most popular sport in the world - there are estimates that over 3 billion people worldwide enjoy the game - and close to that same number live without 24-hour electricity, CBS reported.
What started off as a college project has turned into a full-time job for Jessica O Matthews, who co-designed the football.
The ball captures a person's kinetic energy while kicking it around with a built-in generator. That energy is then stored in a battery which can be used to plug in and power an LED light.
The SOCCKET comes to the market later this year.
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories

  • Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 04 2013 | 1:25 PM IST