Wilson unveils the world’s first smart football

Backyard football is about to get a 21st-century upgrade. Wilson announced the world’s first smart football this week, revealing a professional-level ball that can track how fast you throw, the quality of your spiral, and whether the receiver actually catches it.

The Wilson X Connected Football packs a small processor suspended at the center of the ball so it won’t take any damage if you play rough. The non-rechargeable chip should last for 200,000 throws before reverting to being a regular old football. The company also included a pair of accelerometers that act as a gyroscope to measure movement.

There’s a Bluetooth chip too, which connects Wilson X to an app for iOS or Android. The app will show you data after each throw, but it also offers an augmented reality experience. Just pick a specific play from a preselected list and then try to pass the ball to the right spot before you get sacked by the virtual defense.

You can pre-order Wilson X for $199.99, which is double what the company charges for a normal regulation football. It’s also available in a smaller “junior” size for the same price, and both versions come with a free copy of Madden NFL 17 for PS4 or Xbox One. The smart football is set to launch next month on September 8.

Source

Wilson

Via

Wired