I can’t think how many times I have heard someone say that people should harness the energy from workouts on treadmills, biking, or running. Finally, a couple of college students did just that.
Nicholas Nehamas, Latitude News, writes about the students’ innovative idea.
“The company, Uncharted Play, has designed a fully functional soccer ball called the SOCCKET which can power an LED light. One minute of kicking around this portable generator produces around six minutes of light. Children in developing countries without reliable sources of electricity can play their favorite game and then plug in the light to read, do homework, and help illuminate their homes. …
“More than a billion families around the world use kerosene lamps as their primary source of light because electricity is either unavailable or too expensive. But as well as being a serious fire risk, kerosene lamps also endanger the health of those who breathe their fumes. …
“The SOCCKET is one innovative alternative to kerosene. [Jessica Matthews, CEO and co-founder of Uncharted Play], explains that the ball contains a pendulum, or gyroscope-like device, inside it.
“ ‘As the ball rolls, the mechanism also rolls, harnessing kinetic energy and
and then storing it inside a simple battery,’ she says. …
“ ‘We weren’t trying to change the world,’ says Matthews. ‘By no means were we trying to do anything beyond not failing the class.’ ”
More.
