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Sink Your Balls Quickly With Pool-Cue Robots

Posted by timothy on from the hungry-hungry-hippo-for-barflies dept.

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."

19 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Rather Not by arizwebfoot · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you don't mind, I'd rather not sink my balls as they've keep me in good stead for 50 years now.
    I would prefer that they were not torpedoed by some cue-stick armed robot.
    My wife concurs and she is bi-polar, going through a nasty bout of menopause and has access to the shotgun.
    Forewarned you overlords of metal.

    --
    Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
    1. Re:Rather Not by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 2, Funny

      Bipolars can be pretty nasty. If she hits you with the (shotgun) butt, will you charge her with battery?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  2. Scary title by ender06 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I read that as "Skin your balls quickly with pool-cue robots." I quickly became concerned until my brain pointed out the pool-cue part of the title.

  3. Amusing, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I really don't see any value in this. Pool is a game of finesse, strategy, and ability, not brute forcing balls with robots. I don't know why you'd base it on a billiard/pool table and not something that was purpose built.

    By using robots in this way you're removing what's fun about pool.

    While his foosball table was cool, this is quite silly IMO.

    1. Re:Amusing, but... by jozlod · · Score: 2, Insightful

      i would think more so that his game is not billards/pool at all, it just happens that he has decided to use a pool table and make robots that drive around on it into another game. it could actually be a fun thing to add to your pool room, kind of like how kelly pool isnt really pool, but its fun. So imo he has just found another way to use that felt covered table with holes and balls. i do however disagree with him calling it a version of billards. "unlike regular billiard matches, players in this version simultaneously rush to pocket their designated balls"

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      this is not my signature
    2. Re:Amusing, but... by pavon · · Score: 2, 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.

    3. Re:Amusing, but... by hurfy · · Score: 2, 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?

  4. why has every f***ng RC car to be called robot? by Gunstick · · 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.

    --
    Atari rules... ermm... ruled.
  5. Re:Sign me up by Gunstick · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Are you really a roboticist?
    What do you see here which looks like a robot? I see RC cars, and you?

    --
    Atari rules... ermm... ruled.
  6. "Reins" fer chrissake by beanyk · · Score: 2, Informative

    In order to keep tight reins on the mechatronic ball handlers' movements

    ...

  7. Re:Sign me up by Facegarden · · Score: 2, 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

    --
    Worldwide Military budgets: $2100 billion. Worldwide Space Exploration budgets: $38 billion. Really, world? Really?
  8. Seriously? by StaticEngine · · Score: 4, Funny

    The only robot I want playing with my balls is portrayed by Summer Glau. But I'll settle for the actual Summer Glau.

  9. Not a robot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    My senior project for my BSEE was to make an actual robot that did this same thing. Each team's robot competed against each other to identify it's own balls and sink them before the other one could. Wish I had the video on youtube or something so you could all see the surprisingly boring competition.

  10. Re:Wait... by rts008 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It depends on the "quality" of the pr0n you are viewing, and the 'engagement factor'...

    More research is needed...

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    Down With Slashdot BETA!!! I've been around the corner and seen the oliphant; you can only abuse me from your perspecti
  11. Well, thanks to that awesome title... by Jeian · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... I don't think there's going to be a single serious comment in this thread.

  12. Re:Sign me up by Hatta · · Score: 4, Funny

    As a roboticist...

    Are those like furries?

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    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  13. me too by commodoresloat · · Score: 3, Funny

    I just assumed it had something to do with the teabag protest last week.

  14. Sometimes... by msauve · · Score: 2, Insightful

    , I wish /. had a digg-like "lame" moderation category.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  15. No, what I really need is by Dachannien · · Score: 2, 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.