Rugby Ball Meets Web-Cam

comcn writes "What do you get when you cross a rugby ball with a web-cam? The BBC have an article about a polytechnic in New Zealand that is in the process of creating a camera that is small and light enough to fit inside a rugby ball. Boy, are you going to get a headache when watching rugby on TV now."

Comments

If you didnt know

[isorox]

Rugby is kind of like American Football, except tough. Theres no pamby helmets, no 5 foot thick shoulder pads, no 3 minutes breaks every 3 seconds. etc. etc. Just a pure blood bath.

Re:If you didnt know

[Knunov]

While I was working in Europe, I had this discussion about a thousand times with the various European nationalities, but especially the English and Scottish.

The mechanics of American Football necessitate protective gear. The size mismatches alone make it a requirement.

A common scenario in American football is a 180-pound receiver, standing completely still while catching a mid-field pass, being slammed into by a 250-pound linebacker running top speed. This generally does not happen in rugby.

Without pads, there would be regular incidents (as in every game) of broken bones, paralyzed players and even deaths.

In the spirit of fairness, I offered to demonstrate this fact to a particularly loudmouthed Scottsman, that happened to be a former rugby player. I weigh 230 solid pounds at 6' 1".

We were in a hotel bar, at the time. So we stepped into the first floor hallway, and he walked to the far end. Some people from the bar gathered to watch.

He stood at the end of the hall and braced for impact. I ran as fast as I could and dove into his stomach using my shoulder as the impact site.

When he regained conciousness 3 minutes later, he was more understanding of my point of view. After he vomited on himself, that is.

As if the skeletons and musculature of rugby players are somehow sturdier than a football player's...

Knunov

Blurry images.

[PopeAlien]

So far, the camera is only able to produce a faint blurry black-and-white image.

Gee. I cant wait until it can produce hi-rez full color faint blurry images.. What a scientific advance!

While you're at it...

[trilucid]

As long as we're gonna go around modding out rugby balls to give us "most excellent" visual shots, why not continue with this new tradition of improving on the game...

You could place internally stabilizing gyroscopes inside the thing to ensure the "always perfect" pass. Heck, if you're gonna do that, why not mod it out with anti-intercept electronic countermeasures too? Opposing player tryin' to snag the ball? No worries, mate... it's packing more punch than a hand-held taser.

Geez, this game could be really fun. :)

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First Photos of modded rugby ball

[Anonymous Coward]

Look here for one of the first pictures of a rugby ball with video camera capabilities...

More links

[comcn]

Since posting the story, I've found a better link to the Otago Daily Times. The story there has a rather good picture of the ball with the camera in it.

Also, here's a link to the Otago Polytechnic.

instability of the universe?

[_ganja_]

I'd never thought I'd see the day when a geek site was arguing if football or rugby players are "harder".

Of course I hope you understand that in order to maintain ballance in the universe there are two prop forwards sitting in a bar drinking Jolt and arguing if the Cube will kick the ass of the Xbox.

blocking/knee tacklin happen all the time in Rugby

[DABANSHEE]

League

Yep there are no rules against that sort of thing in Rugby League

& Rugby League players cope ok without helmets, padding or ballet tights.

You're talking about Rugby Union, AKA 'rugby', which is altogether a different game to Rugby League, AKA 'league'.

League is quite different with much of the rucking 'n mauling replaced by tackles 'n 'play-the-balls'

'League' is pretty big in Northern England, the East coast of Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand's North Island & some of the older industrial towns of France. Although no where near as big as Union.

Also 'League' probably translates better to the small screen than any other football code

Football (Soccer), American Football, & Aussie Rules are great games to watch live, but they don't really translate well to the small screen (the games are too spread out). For example take the srimmaging & forward pass of American Football, which don't work well at all on telly (too much going on all over the place).

Where-as 'league' is perfect for telly - the camera just has to follow the ball to get all the action of almost continued 3 on 1 tackles.

Check this game here (Windows Media Player + broadband, unless you want a postage stamp size screen).

Yes you can now watch both Rugby League Test Internationals & 1st grade Club Rugby League on the web.

Information for Americans

[innit]

Here is some information on Rugby for our American viewers. It's basically like your version of "football", except with a number of differences:

• The players don't wear massive amounts of padding like the poofters that play American football do
• There's none of this "having a rest every 5 minutes" rubbish. It's constant action from start to finish
• No helmet is used by the players. Instead they use insultating tape to stick their ears to their heads to prevent them from getting ripped off
• It's played in wet, muddy fields, not on specially treated multicoloured tarmac with dedicated areas laid out for cheerleaders
• The commentators aren't nearly as irritating, although most of them are Welsh so obviously we're not perfect on that one

There. Now if you could do the same for us every time Thanksgiving/Independance Day/Labour Day comes around, we'd be most awfully grateful.

Bung ho, chaps

Stuii!

Battery power

[_ganja_]

I wonder if there is a way of powering the camera using the balls own inertia? Kinda like the wrist watches that don't use batteries and don't have to be wound? Maybe that technology is behind current battery technology but the ball certainly will do a lot of moving.