Joke? "Study Ball" Ball and Chain Leg Iron

I have no idea if this is a real item of some sort of joke. I hope it is a joke.

Sometimes it takes a little tough love to get your kids going in the right direction. For some, it might even take medieval love. That's where the Study Ball comes in.

Simply put, it's a 20-pound ball attached to a shackle with a study timer that can be set for up to four hours. When the time has elapsed, the shackle will unlock. And no, this is not a concept—it actually exists. In fact, you can purchase one for around $115. Needless to say, you might have a Study Ball of your own after Child Protective Services gets wind of this. - Gizmodo

And here is the summary from the website claiming to sell this item:

The Study Ball gadget is a prison-style ball and chain that you can program to keep track of how much time you spend studying. Once you’ve selected the desired duration, you chain the ball to your ankle and the manacle won’t come off until the schedule study time is up.

A red LED indicator displays the “Study Time Left“ and keeps you informed as to how much longer you’ve got to keep studying. The ball and chain are made of highly durable steel and weighs a total of 9.5 kg / 20.95 pounds, which makes it difficult to move while wearing it.

Quite often, students who are having problems concentrating tend to get up every ten minutes to watch TV, talk on the phone, take something out of the fridge, and a long list of other distractions. Were they to dedicate all this wasted time to studying, they would optimize their performance and have more free time available. Study Ball helps you study more and more efficiently.

For security reasons, Study Ball may not be programmed for more than 4 straight hours of study time. We recommend that minors use Study Ball only under adult supervision. The gadget has a safety key that allows you to open the manacle at any time and interrupt the scheduled study time.

It’s an original gift that is especially recommended for desperate parents whose children won’t study, people preparing for civil service exams who have trouble concentrating, and for all sorts of students in general. It’s also recommended for freelance workers: web designers, computer programmers, bloggers, architects, translators, and anyone else who spends long hours sitting in front of the computer.

When not in use as a study aid, it’s a pretty decorative item that’s the perfect accessory for any room in your home.

Study Ball is an exclusive design created especially for Curiosite by Emilio Alarcón, a Spanish designer with extensive experience. “Studying can be fun and enriching if you do it once in a while, but no one likes to study for days on end, especially not with an exam date looming overhead. The project was born of a conversation I had with a friend who was studying for a civil service exam… he said: I haven’t left the house in a week, this is like being in jail”.

- Includes a tiny safety key so you can open the manacle at any time
- Material: highly durable steel
- Total Weight (Ball + Chain): 9.5 kg / 20.95 pounds
- Ball and chain made of highly durable steel.
- Ball’s Diameter: 27 cm / 10.6 inches
- Chain’s Length: 42 cm / 16.5 inches
- Works with 3 triple-A batteries, included

Easy-to-use timer. When the time is up, it gives off a beep that lets you know study time is over - Curiosite

I think I would spend my time trying to pick the lock.
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