bogolog by studio lama is a smart tetherball workout device

‘bogolog’ is a workout device that harnesses advanced technology to the benefits of physical activity designed by israel-based studio lama. the project found motivation from bogolog’s CEO adis mekonan, whose memories from when he was a child growing up in ethiopia included playing a local version of tetherball. having no ball to play with, the kids improvised a bag stuffed with fabric scraps tied with rope to a pole. with this in mind, adis commissioned studio lama to develop the product.

‘our design strategy conceived a shell that conveys strength and durability with a visual impact that aligns it with the world of sports,’ comments studio lama. ‘we were inspired by two concurrent themes: one was the world of tough gear including power tools, tool boxes, and military gear. the other one was that of sports products. in this richly diverse sphere we explored ski masks, bikes, kitesurfs, bars, and many others.’

a single player is a nice fun possibility

to play the game, two players kick a ball tethered to a pole. to score, the ball must make a full turn around the pillar. a smartphone connected to the bogolog identifies the ball’s location, provides voice cues, and keeps the score. the phone can also take pictures of the players and collect additional data. all the information is then uploaded to the cloud and can be viewed in real time. it can also be shared with friends and family or with members of the online community being set up by bogolog.

foldable base with three weights 

bogolog app also designed by studiolama 

plastic parts 

more plastic components

details

final renders

different options that arose during the design concept phase

searching for a universal solution to connect the ball

kids playing tetherball
image courtesy of drrgrills blog

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.