Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Good Day!

.... I have a bit ambitious problem to work on again. I am a volunteer student worker at our shool's small science centrum (sort of a museum) and last month, I and my classmates noticed a big crack on the black glass window at the back part of one of the rooms which we call the "Dark Room" and now that the glass's has been broken, IT'S NOT DARK ANYMORE... ! We've found out that this was created by a soccer ball that came from the playing students at the field wich is located at the back of the building. With this, I've thought of a ball that automaticaly deflates when it touches glass (I'll be calling it SAFE BALL). I know that it's a bit impossible for me to work this out but I just want to have some things to clear. These are the following:

1. As a student, will I be REALLY able to work on this? How?
2. What are the possibilities of the success of this study?
3. How can I program such a ball?
4. If I'll be able to create such a ball, do you think it can be used just like any other ball? Will it be able to bounce?

.... Am I mad? Haha. I wish I'm not. I just want to create something I can call an invention. If I'll have enough informations, I'll be using this as my research study...and hopefully, It'll be accepted this time.. I only have one day left...

Hope someone can help me on this! Thank you and may God bless you all!

We generally don't like to discourage students here, but I must say I think your idea, as stated, won't work.

Even if you got past all the very difficult problems of how to sense the glass and how to make the ball deflate instantaneously, you have a more fundamental problem, which is that the deflated ball will mass almost as much as the inflated ball, and will probably break any glass that they inflated ball was likely to break.

Now, coming up with some kind of shield or deflection device that detects an incoming ball and somehow prevents the ball from contacting the glass might be fruitful. However, the easiest solution to the problem is to not use regular glass in locations where there are likely to be balls flying around. Tempered glass, polycarbonate and acrylic are far more shatter resistant. Scratching can be a problem for the plastics, but since this is for a darkroom that probably doesn't matter.

How could a "smart ball" tell the difference between hitting things that shouldn't deflate it (shoe, knee, head, etc) and the glass?

How could you add something to the scoccer ball without changing the ball's properties and suitability for its intended use?

I suspect it is far simpler to find something to keep the ball from hitting the glass window. Hardware cloth, plexiglass (polycarbonate), plywood, shutters, fencing materials, and lots of other simple solutions exist.