AFP, Los Angeles :
The official 2014 World Cup game ball should make players happy, NASA said after its own aerodynamics testing showed the new design avoided the pitfalls of the unpopular 2010 version.
Players complained the official Jabulani ball from four years ago was too unpredictable-a result of the almost perfectly smooth design, which meant that the airflow over the ball pulled it in unpredictable directions.
Although some strikers were able to take advantage of the trait, the erratic trajectory drew complaints from goalkeepers who had trouble gauging where to block.
With memories of 2010 still fresh, Adidas-which designed and manufactured both balls-worked to create a more predictable piece of sports equipment this time around.
“Adidas spent two and a half years developing and refining the ball, making it the most tested ball we have ever created,” the company wrote in a product description posted on the FIFA website, where the balls sell for $160 each.
“The Brazuca uses a groundbreaking six-panel design, which improves symmetry, uniformity and efficiency,” it said, adding that the “evolutionary panel shape creates flight speed and enhances roundness.”
The seams around the panels are deeper in the Brazuca than in the 2010 ball, NASA said, and the panels are covered in tiny bumps-all designed to direct the airflow around the ball to help it move faster and straighter.
