Tech in sports typically revolves around maximizing performance in some nebulous and difficult-to-fact-check way. But Adidas has been doing some very cool stuff, like MiCoach biometric tracking, and now it’s got something new and actually kind of great in theory: a soccer ball that tells you what its doing.
The new smart ball from Adidas comes with its own app, and reports back to you its speed, rotation, distance and direction. Everything about its movement, basically. It uses a variety of sensors — official specs aren’t available just yet — and reports the info in real time.
Adidas has been making smart balls for some time now, with the originals designed with goal line tech in mind. But with FIFA being characteristically slow to adopt the tech (though a version has been selected for 2014), Adidas has turned to uses in training. [Engadget]