Sink Your Balls Quickly With Pool-Cue Robots 79
AndreV writes "In another attempt to dehumanize our bar games, a Canadian engineer has turned the classic game of billiards on its head with his BilliardBots pet project, which consists of a series of remote-controlled mobile robots meant to replace the standard cue sticks normally used to pocket pool balls. While in his version the basic rules remain, unlike regular billiards, players in this version simultaneously rush to pocket their designated balls (they don't take turns), 'thus it's very competitive and fast,' the creator says. In order to keep tight reins on the mechatronic ball handlers' movements, he adapted a pair of Playstation controllers and says that playing 'requires dexterity, like a video game,' to control their 3.5-m/sec-maximum speeds. The 'bots are designed simply but effectively, using a 3-by-3-by-3-inch metal frame with an electronic board, two motors and rechargeable battery packs. Using a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol, its commands come from the wireless controller with single or double joystick selectable control (the other buttons are not used). Its other parameters are software programmable, such as maximum acceleration rate, maximum speed and maximum rotation speed."
Re:Amusing, but... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Amusing, but... (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't know why you'd base it on a billiard/pool table and not something that was purpose built.
To save floor space and upfront costs for target customers. Flagging sales at you local poolhall/pub? Keep the pool tables for your traditional customers, but have BilliadBots tournaments on tuesdays to attract a younger clientele.
why has every f***ng RC car to be called robot? (Score:5, Insightful)
Remote controlled devices are now robots? Just because robot wars uses RC controlled monsters and calls them robots?
For me a robot is something where at least some intelligence is done automatically.
I can't see any robotic thing in these toys.
So yes, the military and police bomb brobots are no robots, still just remote controlled machines.
If I remote control an excavator it does not suddenly become a robot.
Re:Sign me up (Score:2, Insightful)
Are you really a roboticist?
What do you see here which looks like a robot? I see RC cars, and you?
Re:Sign me up (Score:3, Insightful)
As a roboticist, I think this is the coolest thing since rocket skates. I can't wait for this to be commercialised.
Real roboticists don't start sentences with "As a roboticist", and if you were a roboticist, you wouldn't care if it was commericialized, you'd just build one. Those robots are not complicated as far as robots go.
-Taylor
Re:Amusing, but... (Score:3, Insightful)
Well, i don't know about worthless as it looks kinda fun.
But it seems to little to do with pool and/or robots for that matter.
The robot is barely an RC car, it simply bumps the ball or corrals it into the hole. There is no real aim, no cue ball used and no banking except for lucky (or unbelievably good) shots off that curved bumper.
If he wanted pool, why doesn't it have a plunger to at least shoot the ball?
I wonder how hard these are on the felt tho. If it not turnbased, then do they still have avoid the other balls,etc otherwise it would get pretty wild. If both are going for the same hole will they push and shove each other? What is that going to do for the lifespan of your felt when they have a pushing contest?
Sometimes... (Score:3, Insightful)
No, what I really need is (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't need something that will play the game for me. What fun is that?
No, what I really need is something that will help me rack my balls quickly.