The Intelligent Soccer Ball!

Was the ball in or not? Did the referee make a mistake? A lot of times these are crucial questions asked in soccer matches where the outcome may well depend on a judgment call by a referee. Now this intelligent soccer ball from Adidas promises to take the guessing out of the decision.

The ball, which was tested in the FIFA Club World Cup Soccer match, held in Japan from December 7th through 16th, features new technology that will assist the referee in determining when and if the ball crossed the goal line.

The ball is installed with a chip that provides feedback of the location of the ball on a real-time basis. This information is then conveyed (given) to the referee, to enable him to make the right decision. The International Football Foundation and FIFA have both approved this ball for use in competitive play. However, the ball is still being tested, and the results of its recent use from the World Cup matches in Japan will be examined thoroughly (carefully), before deciding when it will be utilized again.

Sources: gizmag.com, gizmo.com