Taiwan-based solar panel company, Greendix, has created a prototype for the world’s first soccer ball that integrates solar panels into the standard design. This concept allows solar energy to power motion-sensing and audio technology inside the ball. This technology could, in turn, allow visually impaired people to also enjoy the beautiful game by following the sound of the ball.
The solar panels take the place of the black pentagonal patches on an ordinary soccer ball. The panels are the same size and shape of these patches so it still looks exactly the same. The use of the ball is not limited to the visually impaired. The solar panels can also be used to light up the ball so it can be played with in the dark.
Joseph Lin of Greendix says: “The main goal of this project was to prove that solar panels can be integrated into any object that we interact with on a daily basis and to push the limits of what is possible with solar panels.”
