Waboba is an international outdoor toy and sporting goods brand headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden with offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Guangzhou, China. Waboba is most known for its invention of balls that bounce on water, the high bouncing Moon ball, and the Wingman silicone flying disc.[1] The company specializes in beach and backyard toys and games. The slogan used in advertising is Keep Life Fun. The name Waboba is a registered trademark and many of its products are internationally patented.
The original Waboba ball and the beach in Sweden where it was invented.
Waboba is short for WAter BOuncing BAll, named after the company's first invention.
History
In Sweden in the early 1980s, inventor Jan Von Heland got the idea of creating something that skips on water after throwing a Frisbee upside down and noticing it skims the surface of water much like skipping a rock. Over the years, he began to test different shapes, materials, and compositions until he discovered in 2002 that a ball could bounce more efficiently than other balls on water if it was soft and had a Lycra covering which enables easy flow separation at the hydrodynamic stagnation point.[2] In 2004, Jan created the commercial concept for balls that bounce on water, and eventually patented what has become the Waboba Ball.[3]
The ball is made of different types of polyurethane covered in Lycra, allowing it to bounce on water and float.[2] Its patented design and durability gives Waboba its quality. To bounce the ball on the water, one must throw like skipping a rock. The ball bounces high on the water in between players when thrown at the right angle (overhand) with the right force. The ball does not bounce on land.[2]
To date, there are 10 different types of Waboba balls (Pro, Extreme, Surf, Blast, Zoobers, Big Kahuna, Tides, Sol, Zag, and Fetch for dogs).[4]
On April 1, 2016 Waboba was featured on The History Channels' Million Dollar Genius for Jan von Heland's invention of the ball that bounces on water. (Season 1, Episode 7 "Bigger is Better") [5]
Geographical spread
The Waboba Water Bouncing Ball was first introduced in Sweden in 2005, where it was sold for two years before it was introduced to new markets in Europe, United States, and Australia in the summer of 2007. As of 2019, Waboba products are distributed in over 75 countries. [6]
Products
Water Bouncing Balls
Pro - engineered for athletic control and accuracy in the lake or ocean.
Extreme - bounces fast, far, and high in the lake or ocean.
Surf, for beginners. It is soft and easy to handle in the lake or ocean.
Big Kahuna, the biggest and most versatile Waboba ball for all water environments - lakes, oceans, and pools.
Moon Ball 2013 Toy of the Year Award winner by Creative Child Magazine [12]
Physics
An elastic ball that bounces on water, the Waboba water ball flattens like a pancake when it hits the water surface, increasing its lift and propelling it upward. When it hits the water at a shallow angle, it too creates a bowl-shaped depression. But because it is soft, the ball flattens into a disc-shape when it hits the surface and this allows it to aquaplane efficiently across the surface. And the angle of the bowl-shaped depression causes it to launch into the air where the ball regains its shape, making it look as if it has bounced. The process is remarkably similar to the way stones skip across water, even though they are denser than the liquid. A shallow impact with the water surface creates a bowl-shaped depression that launches the stone into the air as it leaves.[13]
Naval use
Researchers with the U.S. Navy's University Laboratory Initiative have been studying the mechanics and elasticity of the Waboba balls. The military branch is interested in how elasticity affects motion in water.[14]
All balls can bounce on water when thrown at a shallow angle with sufficient speed to hydroplane.
This was the principle employed by WW2-period British inventor Barnes Wallace when he developed the "bouncing bomb" used in the famous "Dam Busters" raid against the Ruhr District dams.[15] He had been inspired by the story of a technique historically used by the British navy that bounced spherical cannon balls off the ocean surface to achieve accurate hits against enemy ships. Wallace worked out the physics by bouncing marbles, steel spheres, and various sizes and shapes of balls across a pond and then a long trough before progressing to larger-scale experiments. Even solid steel balls would bounce across water.[16] Ordinary tennis balls or any other plastic balls can skip on water if thrown at a low angle at a fast speed.[17][18]
^. Archived from the original on 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
^"Dr.Toy The Best Advice on Childrens Products". Drtoy.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^Center, Family Review. "Family Review Center is proud to announce that Waboba Balls have won the GOLD Award!". PRLog. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^"Creative Child". Creativechild.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^"Like Stones, Why Some Balls Bounce On Water". Technologyreview.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^"US Navy Toys With Physics of Bouncy Balls". Livescience.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^"bouncing bomb". YouTube. 5 April 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^National Physical Laboratory (27 August 2009). "Barnes Wallis Experiment Slow Motion Video". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^r00stercom (15 June 2007). "Do Tennis Balls Skip On Water? (JTE Short Edition)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
External links
The Telegraph.co.uk
Gizmag.com
Metro.se
Waboba International
May 04, 2023
waboba, international, outdoor, sporting, goods, brand, headquartered, stockholm, sweden, with, offices, atlanta, georgia, guangzhou, china, most, known, invention, balls, that, bounce, water, high, bouncing, moon, ball, wingman, silicone, flying, disc, compan. Waboba is an international outdoor toy and sporting goods brand headquartered in Stockholm Sweden with offices in Atlanta Georgia and Guangzhou China Waboba is most known for its invention of balls that bounce on water the high bouncing Moon ball and the Wingman silicone flying disc 1 The company specializes in beach and backyard toys and games The slogan used in advertising is Keep Life Fun The name Waboba is a registered trademark and many of its products are internationally patented The original Waboba ball and the beach in Sweden where it was invented Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Geographical spread 4 Products 4 1 Water Bouncing Balls 4 2 Water accessories 4 3 Land items 5 Awards 6 Physics 7 Naval use 8 References 9 External linksName EditWaboba is short for WAter BOuncing BAll named after the company s first invention History EditIn Sweden in the early 1980s inventor Jan Von Heland got the idea of creating something that skips on water after throwing a Frisbee upside down and noticing it skims the surface of water much like skipping a rock Over the years he began to test different shapes materials and compositions until he discovered in 2002 that a ball could bounce more efficiently than other balls on water if it was soft and had a Lycra covering which enables easy flow separation at the hydrodynamic stagnation point 2 In 2004 Jan created the commercial concept for balls that bounce on water and eventually patented what has become the Waboba Ball 3 The ball is made of different types of polyurethane covered in Lycra allowing it to bounce on water and float 2 Its patented design and durability gives Waboba its quality To bounce the ball on the water one must throw like skipping a rock The ball bounces high on the water in between players when thrown at the right angle overhand with the right force The ball does not bounce on land 2 To date there are 10 different types of Waboba balls Pro Extreme Surf Blast Zoobers Big Kahuna Tides Sol Zag and Fetch for dogs 4 On April 1 2016 Waboba was featured on The History Channels Million Dollar Genius for Jan von Heland s invention of the ball that bounces on water Season 1 Episode 7 Bigger is Better 5 Geographical spread EditThe Waboba Water Bouncing Ball was first introduced in Sweden in 2005 where it was sold for two years before it was introduced to new markets in Europe United States and Australia in the summer of 2007 As of 2019 Waboba products are distributed in over 75 countries 6 Products EditWater Bouncing Balls Edit Pro engineered for athletic control and accuracy in the lake or ocean Extreme bounces fast far and high in the lake or ocean Surf for beginners It is soft and easy to handle in the lake or ocean Big Kahuna the biggest and most versatile Waboba ball for all water environments lakes oceans and pools Blast engineered for pool play Fetch water retrieval ball for dogs 6 Water accessories Edit Catch neoprene glove paired with the Waboba Pro for water play Waboba Lacrosse in 2014 Waboba partnered with STX to release water lacrosse using FiddleSTX and a Waboba Extreme ball 6 Water Cracket a cricket bat paired with a water bouncing ball 7 Land items Edit Spizzy round foam with zig zag stripes Octzilla like Moon but less angular Space bounces even higher than Moon Moon super high bouncing land ball Street unusual shape gives it an unpredictable bounce Flyer an oversized shuttlecock that lets you hit it with your hands knees feet or rackets 6 Wingman a foldable silicone disc 8 Awards EditSpecial Needs Approved by AblePlay 9 Dr Toy Best Toy for Vacation 10 Gold Award Family Review Center 11 Moon Ball 2013 Toy of the Year Award winner by Creative Child Magazine 12 Physics EditAn elastic ball that bounces on water the Waboba water ball flattens like a pancake when it hits the water surface increasing its lift and propelling it upward When it hits the water at a shallow angle it too creates a bowl shaped depression But because it is soft the ball flattens into a disc shape when it hits the surface and this allows it to aquaplane efficiently across the surface And the angle of the bowl shaped depression causes it to launch into the air where the ball regains its shape making it look as if it has bounced The process is remarkably similar to the way stones skip across water even though they are denser than the liquid A shallow impact with the water surface creates a bowl shaped depression that launches the stone into the air as it leaves 13 Naval use EditResearchers with the U S Navy s University Laboratory Initiative have been studying the mechanics and elasticity of the Waboba balls The military branch is interested in how elasticity affects motion in water 14 All balls can bounce on water when thrown at a shallow angle with sufficient speed to hydroplane This was the principle employed by WW2 period British inventor Barnes Wallace when he developed the bouncing bomb used in the famous Dam Busters raid against the Ruhr District dams 15 He had been inspired by the story of a technique historically used by the British navy that bounced spherical cannon balls off the ocean surface to achieve accurate hits against enemy ships Wallace worked out the physics by bouncing marbles steel spheres and various sizes and shapes of balls across a pond and then a long trough before progressing to larger scale experiments Even solid steel balls would bounce across water 16 Ordinary tennis balls or any other plastic balls can skip on water if thrown at a low angle at a fast speed 17 18 References Edit Waboba Outdoor games Waboba Retrieved 2019 12 23 a b c Ball that bounces on water is summer craze Telegraph co uk 1 August 2008 Retrieved 9 November 2017 Ball suitable for water games Google com Retrieved 9 November 2017 Waboba Outdoor games Waboba Retrieved 2019 12 23 Watch Bigger is Better Full Episode Million Dollar Genius HISTORY Retrieved 2019 12 23 a b c d Waboba Waboba Waboba Retrieved 9 November 2017 Water Cracket Waboba Retrieved 2019 12 23 Waboba Wingman Foldable silicone flying disc Waboba Retrieved 2019 12 23 Waboba Bounces on Water AblePlay Play products for Children with Disabilities and Special Needs Archived from the original on 2014 03 04 Retrieved 2014 07 31 Dr Toy The Best Advice on Childrens Products Drtoy com Retrieved 9 November 2017 Center Family Review Family Review Center is proud to announce that Waboba Balls have won the GOLD Award PRLog Retrieved 9 November 2017 Creative Child Creativechild com Retrieved 9 November 2017 Like Stones Why Some Balls Bounce On Water Technologyreview com Retrieved 9 November 2017 US Navy Toys With Physics of Bouncy Balls Livescience com Retrieved 9 November 2017 bouncing bomb YouTube 5 April 2009 Archived from the original on 2021 12 15 Retrieved 9 November 2017 National Physical Laboratory 27 August 2009 Barnes Wallis Experiment Slow Motion Video YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 15 Retrieved 9 November 2017 YouTube Youtube com Retrieved 9 November 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link r00stercom 15 June 2007 Do Tennis Balls Skip On Water JTE Short Edition YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 15 Retrieved 9 November 2017 External links EditThe Telegraph co uk Gizmag com Metro se Waboba International Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waboba amp oldid 1105514243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
