an unusual observation

[IKE]

Traffic cone trumpeting anyone?

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by IKE

Traffic cone trumpeting anyone?

I was along the same lines. Another option is to make random notes of music in the same way that the Boston subway stations around MIT do -- large wind chimes.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I was along the same lines. Another option is to make random notes of music in the same way that the Boston subway stations around MIT do -- large wind chimes.

*ears perk up* - are there any photos or links that tell about this? It sounds cool.

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

*ears perk up* - are there any photos or links that tell about this? It sounds cool.

A little more research and I've found that they're only at Kendall Square. Skip to about 0:58 into this video and you can see what I'm talking about:
Some random dude's 3 minutes of youtube fame

Also, apparently (blog link) there are levers to control the chimes, a gong, and sheet metal.

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by kamocat

I like the idea of making tones and chords (with the help of other robots) to accomplish tasks. It's more puzzle-oriented, but it might be fun

Originally Posted by JesseK

I was along the same lines. Another option is to make random notes of music in the same way that the Boston subway stations around MIT do -- large wind chimes.

Or build robots who can make the field play a pre-engineered tune, like the road in California that was grooved to play the William Tell Overture. Here is the link to the news story, videos are on YouTube, but I can't get to them from here! http://cbs2.com/local/William.Tell.Road.2.822008.html

[kamocat]

Originally Posted by Cynette

Or build robots who can make the field play a pre-engineered tune, like the road in California that was grooved to play the William Tell Overture. Here is the link to the news story, videos are on YouTube, but I can't get to them from here! http://cbs2.com/local/William.Tell.Road.2.822008.html

Weird! I guess I was wrong in thinking no-one would actually use that idea. Well, as long as they're not using it for word advertisements, I'm fine. (it looks like if they made the road actually have that sort of clarity and resistance to wear, then it would be much more slippery when wet and would have no flex in earthquakes)

On a different note, using chimes as targets (or actuated by targets) is brilliant! You could even have a marimba-type thing (with a resonating chamber).

[kamocat]

How about a giant funnel, like those things that marbles spiral down? (line the rim with chimes and keep the lazy suzan in the center) The gamepieces would be those little blue racquetballs that team 128 was handing out at nationals. Near the base of the chimes there'd be a shield to hold the balls in and keep them from bouncing all over the place; instead letting them roll down the funnel (maybe in a spiral). The goal would be to throw the balls up and hit the chimes (more points for certain interval sequences). Getting hit by your opponents balls (when they're on the ground) would give them points. Firing balls at an opponent would be penalized. As your balls are rolling down the funnel, you should try to pick them up. The "spout" of the funnel is just a recession that makes it more of a pain to collect balls (encouraging teamwork). Since this might require a ceiling, there could be a giant gong (suspended horizontally) in the middle of the ceiling, where you get special points if you hit it. You are also awarded those points if you fire some balls on top of the gong, and someone else knocks them off by firing at the gong.

Now what could Autonomous be? (thus the problem)

[dbs12693x]

We've had robot basketball and nascar..
'07 was kind of like "Tic-tac-toe."

Now comes...Soccer?
Maybe Scrabble?

Yes, robots moving huge tiles under time! It would use shape-recognition, at least for autonomous .

[lasereyes]

Originally Posted by dbs12693x

We've had robot basketball and nascar..
'07 was kind of like "Tic-tac-toe."

Now comes...Soccer?
Maybe Scrabble?

Yes, robots moving huge tiles under time! It would use shape-recognition, at least for autonomous .

I'm pretty sure a Brazilian team would win if it was soccer...

[EricH]

Originally Posted by dbs12693x

We've had robot basketball and nascar..
'07 was kind of like "Tic-tac-toe."

Now comes...Soccer?
Maybe Scrabble?

Yes, robots moving huge tiles under time! It would use shape-recognition, at least for autonomous .

Tic-tac-toe was 2005; 2007 was Connect 4. Hmm...board game, sports game, board game, sports game... Uh-oh.

[lasereyes]

Originally Posted by EricH

Tic-tac-toe was 2005; 2007 was Connect 4. Hmm...board game, sports game, board game, sports game... Uh-oh.

Woot! New patterns are emerging!

[Lydia_1739]

Monopoly!
Checkers!
Chess!

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by EricH

Tic-tac-toe was 2005; 2007 was Connect 4. Hmm...board game, sports game, board game, sports game... Uh-oh.

Originally Posted by Lydia_1739

Monopoly!
Checkers!
Chess!

Risk! With real bombs - small, but real.

[Dick Linn]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I was along the same lines. Another option is to make random notes of music in the same way that the Boston subway stations around MIT do -- large wind chimes.

We have a stretch of Interstate 295 around Richmond that is so cratered and patched that when you drive over it, it seems to play a tune. It's hard to make out, but I think it's "Don't know whose rear-end is gonna fall off first - mine or the truck's". It's an old blues tune.