On his trip to Tanzania, President Barack Obama kicked a special soccer ball, called a "Soccket Ball" and actually generated real power by doing it, according to reports.
This ball is capable of capturing kinetic energy and storing it for later use, such as charging a cell phone or providing light. The ball represents outside-the-box technology that can be used to provide power in the impoverished rural parts of Tanzania.
Obama is there to promote a $7 billion plan to increase energy availability in Africa, and used the Soccket Ball as an example of the type of innovation possible. "I thought it was pretty cool," Obama said. "You can imagine this in villages all across the country."
The maker of the Soccket Ball, Uncharted Play, says that 30 minutes of play is enough to power an LED lamp for three hours. The energy in the ball is created by a pendulum-like mechanism that makes energy, and is activated by normal movement and use.
Uncharted Play was founded by two Harvard graduates who "realized that the world of play was truly uncharted territory when it came to tangibly addressing real issues." On their website, UnchartedPlay.com, their mission statement reads, "Our mission: Combine play with cutting edge technology to make the world a better place."
After playing with the ball for a while, Obama gave a speech that outlined his "Power Africa" plan, in which he said, "I'm inspired because I'm absolutely convinced that with the right approach, Africa and its people can unleash a new era of prosperity. I see Africa as the world's next major economic success story and the United States wants to be a partner in that success,"
According to The World Bank, about 25 percent of the sub-Saharan African population has electricity, and the people who do have it experience outages on about 56 days a year.
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