Football in the United States may not be as important as almost everywhere else on the planet, but it is still a sport enjoyed by millions of people. That’s who a new Kickstarter campaign is trying to appeal to – with a smart new soccer ball and app combo that promises to take your game to the next level. And for much less than other smart soccer balls on the market!
Having already created the DribbleUp smart basketball – which we highly recommended – the makers of the DribbleUp smart soccer ball are hoping to bring that same combination of high-tech features and affordability to a new sport. They claim it is the first augmented reality soccer ball to launch on Kickstarter. Using your smartphone camera, the DribbleUp app tracks the soccer ball in real time and synthesizes thousands of data points into real-time training commentary. When using the app, you will be walked through a variety of exercises, and then you will receive comments and ratings at the end of each.
“We have reinvented the soccer ball for the digital generation,” Eric Forkosh, CEO of DribbleUp, told Digital Trends. “Our ball connects to an augmented reality app on your phone so you can train anytime, anywhere – at home, in the field, wherever you are. The app’s virtual trainer walks you through interactive workouts with live audio feedback and gives you a graduated exercise-by-exercise breakdown so you know what you need to improve. Even when it’s raining or it’s too dark outside, you can still train in your room with the virtual trainer and take your game to the next level. Most importantly, our matchball grade soccer ball has no batteries so you never need to charge it and costs less than a standard match ball. Why buy a stupid bullet when you can get a smart bullet for the same price? “
That’s a good question to ask, and if the company’s previous products are newsworthy, you can expect a high-quality bullet for your money, even without considering the technology. Forkosh says the product is best aimed at young players and their coaches, although its smart adaptive system means it can challenge everyone from young children to professional players.
If you’re looking to get a DribbleUp soccer ball, you can currently pre-order one on Kickstarter. Prices start at $ 49, which includes the ball, a smartphone holder, an app, and access to the video content library. The expedition takes place in October.
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