Portable generators just got a lot more fun with the introduction of the Soccket.
The Soccket from Uncharted Play takes an ordinary soccer ball and turns it into a power generator — a wonderful tool for families in developing countries that lack a reliable electricity infrastructure.
Kick the ball around, play, and have a good time. When you’re done, connect an LED lamp into a port built into the ball, and light up your night.
Playing with the Soccket for 30 minutes can power an LED lamp for 3 hours.
With 6 watts of power, the Soccket ball can be used to power lamps, mobile phones, hot plates, fans and other small appliances.
This power is clean power and eliminates the need for other products that can create indoor air quality concerns like kerosene lamps and smoke-producing cooking plates.
A pendulum-like mechanism inside the ball captures kinetic energy and stores it in a rechargeable battery. The ball is made of foam so it won’t deflate. It also only weighs about an ounce more than a regular soccer ball.
The Soccket has already been prototyped and put into small-scale production.
SOCCKET is currently fundraising over at Kickstarter, with a starting pledge of $89.