On August 23rd, Elecom donated 27 haptic feedback mobile batteries as participation prizes at the "Sfida Setagaya Blind Soccer Cup," hosted by the NPO Sfida at the Setagaya General Sports Ground Gymnasium in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Three teams—"Sfida Setagaya BFC," "Tama Hussars," and "Soyie Katsushika"—participated in the tournament, which also featured a Women's Challenge Match by female teams.
A key feature of these mobile batteries is their ability to check the remaining charge using touch, without relying on sight. Elecom adopted an inclusive design, co-created with visually impaired users, emphasizing usability that caters to the user's specific circumstances. This specification supports checking the remaining charge, which is often difficult to ascertain with conventional mobile batteries, through haptic feedback.
Blind soccer is a 5-a-side sport played by four visually impaired field players wearing eye masks and one sighted goalkeeper. A team consists of seven people, including a guide behind the goal and a center guide, and play is conducted using a ball that makes a sound when rolled. At this tournament, products were presented to all 27 players, demonstrating their value as everyday tools that support the sport.
Kota Hada, M.D., Director and Executive Officer at Elecom, expressed gratitude for this opportunity to collaborate, commenting that the batteries were provided as participation prizes out of a desire to support the players' challenges. Ako Hosono of NPO Sfida also stated that all players received the products and were extremely pleased, commending Elecom's commitment to creating user-friendly products for everyone, as well as their support for sports.
