Four Harvard students created a project for the American Express-sponsored Take Part program. Using the sport, it's a creative solution which aims to solve the energy problem.
The sOccket is a soccer ball that captures energy with every kick. Fifteen minutes of play produces three hours of light. The portable generator harnesses the kinetic energy of the soccer ball during normal game play and stores it for later power needs. After play, an LED lamp can be plugged into the sOccket to provide light for reading and other activities normally impossible after dark.
In impoverished areas, the lack of access to electricity leads many households to utilize dangerous energy alternatives, like kerosene lamps, which are harmful to the environment and our health. In fact, indoor use of solid fuels is single-handedly responsible for almost 500,000 deaths per year in Africa.