With the ever-expanding world of connected devices, we now find ourselves wondering what in this world is connected to what. In honor of the big football game this Sunday evening, and thinking of the sensors in baseball bats from two years ago, I shamelessly googled connected balls. I came across the Wilson X football. I was reading about the stats it displays, such as timing, throw quality, and even arm strength! That’s great for training, but $200 is a bit steep for a ball to just toss around in a game with your family and friends. You might want to go for the $25.

What is in this football? Let’s see.

When I first looked at it, I thought it was just a flat sensor board with a button battery in the center. After taking some rotated x-ray imagery, I found that the sensor is placed in the center of the football in a custom bladder design. The information obtained by the sensor is used for stats needed for most quarterbacks looking to improve their long game.  As a novice football fan, the app for the Wilson X football is bit overwhelming, but I know I am not their target market. I downloaded the app and it took a bit to get it to pair with the ball, but once I got them together, the app showed me tons of options for stats. A very interesting find in how technology is part of our everyday lives. Check out Wilson’s website for more details.

Geek Level 11

Here are some more details of the sensor board and the full ball