A New York-based startup is taking the idea of energy harvesting to a more philanthropic level through the use of something that can be found in nearly every country in the world -- a soccer ball.
The founders of Uncharted Play Inc. have developed a prototype soccer ball, called SOCCKET, that captures the kinetic energy created when it is kicked or thrown. The ball -- born out of an undergraduate project at Harvard University and developed in part by company co-founders Jessica O. Matthews and Julia Silverman -- stores that energy in an internal battery that can be used later.
Uncharted Play Inc. has developed an energy-harvesting soccer bar that can save and generate 6W of energy through a mechanism inside the ball. The company is developing accessories like an LED light that can be used to provide electricity to people in regions of the world where they have little or no access to it. (Source: Uncharted Play Inc.)
The product is aimed at giving people in poorer countries access to energy where they otherwise may have none, Alison Dalton Smith, director of communications for Uncharted Play, told Design News. “So many people live in energy poverty -- 2.6 billion people worldwide according to the United Nations. This means they are completely off the grid with no energy at all, and they burn highly pollutant fuel like kerosene, dung, or wood for light in their homes.” Other people in poor nations must put up with intermittent electricity due to rolling blackouts, or purchase electricity on a black market that is cost-prohibitively expensive, she said.
SOCCKET is made of a soft plastic material that is similar to the texture of a soccer ball and uses an energy harvester inside that swings like a pendulum whenever the ball moves. There the kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy through an internal circuit board and then stored in a battery that can be used by small electronic devices.
“The design of the energy-harvesting mechanism is modeled after the same general principles behind wind turbines for converting rotational motion into electricity,” Victor Angel, Uncharted Play’s vice president of product development, told us. “In order to adapt those principles to a soccer ball, we designed a small gyroscopic generator that freely rotates within the ball, generating power from motion."
Playing with the ball for about 30 minutes will enable the battery inside to provide at least three hours of light -- though Smith said it has provided more -- to an LED light the company designed to be used with SOCCKET. The company is also working on other accessories for the ball, including an iPhone charger, a water sterilizer, and speakers.
I like the bicycle idea. Along the same lines, my wife has a hand-cranked flashlight that uses. You never need to worry about batteries or solar charge, just crank the flashlight up any time you need it.
True Ragnar this is a very use full technology as you said. Can this be apply for any moving thing? If it can be applied I think that vehicle tires is the best.
I was thinking of the bicycle generator as well, Designist. It seems to be a mode of transportation that is available even in some of the inaccessible areas and probably has the potential to produce a lot more energy.
I do, however, like the soccer ball idea. With multiple, removable batteries you could take care of some (very basic) needs. Since full charge seems to be attained after only 30 minutes, a few more batteries could easily be charged during an average set of play time.
My thoughts are similar to Tim's, since I live in the rainy, windy tall redwood tree forest where we have regular power outages. While I'd rather not have to kick a soccer ball to harvest energy, I bet the basic technology could be adapted to a more home-friendly power source. Why not a stationary exercise-type bicycle?
Now that is a good idea as well, the Designist. Uncharted Play came up with this idea because it is something fairly inexpensive and universal (nearly every country in the world plays soccer, and it really is a the main sport of the less-develped world). But bicycles also are very popular in similar regions, so you've hit on something. With all the progress being made in energy harvesting, perhaps that will be next. Thanks for your comment.
Hi, Corona, yes, Uncharted Play seems to be thinking of things that could actually be worthwhile to people living in underdeveloped regions, but also of applications for people who already have access to electricity. I think this product could have broad appeal. But of course, helping providing access to electricity in areas where it's limited is certainly the focus at the moment.
Yes, making the kids exercise to generate the electricity needed to power their electronic devices can also promote fitness (I say this tongue-in-cheek). Now every kid will be able to earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.
Dave Palmer: I'm old enough to remember Popular Mechanics predicting (in the 40's or 50's that we would have flying cars in our garages by 1980 too.
If it's made in USA now, my money's on that the Chinese (by the way I love the Chinese people) already have clones of the thing that will be sold in Toys R Us by Christmas.
Also, while I'm at it: How long would you have to kick the stupid thing to generate a kilowatt or two to boil one pot of water?
Yes, this is real, as you said, Dave. Some students at Purdue a few years ago developed a tile floor that's being used in an airport to generate very tiny amounts of current. Every time someone steps on a tile and it bends, the system harvests some energy from the flexure of the floor. And, yes, it's real.
Why not just use coconuts and a bicycle, like the professor did on Gilligan's Island?
Joking aside, a bicycle with a generator would be more efficient, and importantly more practical. Efficiency also exposes that energy conservation can not be overcome with fads. Just my humble opinion.
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