Slashdot Mirror
Sink Your Balls Quickly With Pool-Cue Robots
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."
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.
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.
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.
The only robot I want playing with my balls is portrayed by Summer Glau. But I'll settle for the actual Summer Glau.
... I don't think there's going to be a single serious comment in this thread.
As a roboticist...
Are those like furries?
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!