Haiti - Technology : Play football for lighting ? - HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7

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Haiti - Technology : Play football for lighting ?
19/07/2011 11:58:29

More than one-fifth of the world’s population lack electric power, but kids almost everywhere play football. It is from this observation, that two students from Harvard University, Jessica Matthews and Julia Silverman wondered if it was possible to recover the velocity of a football ball to generate electricity and the response is YES.

These students have designed a football ball [sOccket] that can produce energy, while having fun. The prototype, tested in South Africa, Nigeria, Spain and Haiti, works thanks to the kinetic energy of the ball. Inside, an electric generator accumulates the energy and is able to return it after only 15 minutes of play thanks to an outlet where you can plug an electroluminescent diode (LED). The battery currently provided an autonomy of 3 hours.

"We have almost all changed since the first prototype," says Jessica, "contrary to the first balls whose life did not exceed a few months, those who will be presented in August or September, will be much more robust and should last at least one year and be able to supply more than a LED" but the designers kept secret, for now, the capacity of this new model.

Jessica Matthews stated that the football ball sOccket is on track for mass production and distribution later this year. The innovative team does not intend to stop there, is currently working on plans for a basketball sOccket for next year.

This football ball could illuminate thousands of children worldwide... and our young Haitian footballers could do their homework after the nightfall, until one day the country is able to distribute electricity to all its citizens.

HL/ HaitiLibre