Jamaica News, April 20, 2018 – The Football with Power
Written by: Staff Writer
Imagine you and your friends are actively engulfed in an intense football game in your community, you’re winning… of course, but the football you are kicking around is no ordinary ball. With every kick, you are actually creating and storing electrical energy that you can use to power an LED light bulb in your home to help you study or even charge your cell phone and other small devices.
The Technology is HERE!
Introducing the energy harnessing Soccer ball (otherwise known as a Football) – The SOccket. This new tech concept is what happens When Play Meets Science.
The SOccket was co-created by African-American inventor, Jessica O. Matthews at the age of 19. Jessica is the CEO and founder of Uncharted Power Inc., an award-winning renewable power company that specializes in harnessing the energy from motion to create entire ecosystems of power for communities around the world. Their mission is to use our renewable kinetic energy solutions to generate clean, consistent, and cost-efficient solutions. The company is based in New York City with all products currently being sold online.
How it Works
This high tech ball carries a portable generator that blends your need to play with need for electric power seamlessly.
As you play with the ball, a small pendulum inside the ball is harnessing the kinetic energy with an inbuilt inductive coil mechanism turning the internal generator which is connected to a chargeable battery. The ball can then be used as a simple off the grid power source. Just 30 minutes of play can give you up to 3 hours of environmentally-friendly light.
The ball is only 1-2 ounces heavier than a regular football and it does not need to be inflated and won’t deflate either. “This is the coolest thing ever,” says Aneesh Chopra, Former Federal Chief of Technology of the United States, and we agree!. The tech project has been praised by Bill Gates, and Bill Clinton with industry leaders pushing to have a SOocket in every school to show young people that invention is possible.
Jessica and her team have already used the technology to improve lives for hundreds of people in South Africa, Mexico and Brazil providing solutions to for community whom are resource-poor or without light thus reducing the need of kerosene lamps that have been known to cause breathing problems and endless fire damage within homes in developing countries.
Now it’s Your Turn…
Now that you know it’s possible, what other ideas can you and your friends come up with to create a version of the tech in Jamaica with the resources you already have within your community.
Remember to do your research and be resourceful. Ask for help from your parents, teachers and local government. Once you have your prototype be sure to get a patent and protect your invention.
Now go forth and Create – May the Force be with you.
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