Robot that goes bowling?

FIRST General Forum
#1

I got an idea for a robot that goes bowling. I would put the ball on top of a ramp, have the robot aim the ball at the pins, have the robot release the ball, and hope to get strikes. I hate having my ball go into the gutter.

#2

Just make sure the manager of the ally approves of the idea just in case the robot decides to shoot line drive balls straight into the wall, which would be pretty freaking sweet but I don’t think the manager would laugh to much. :smiley:

#3

you could make a very simple one by just having it aim and roll the ball down a ramp (simmilar to a method developed for people in wheel chairs. I was thinking about this but decided I would rather desgn one that bowls with a hook (watch anyone who is pretty good when you go bowling) I think this is more effective. Also at the Alley near my house they put tips on how to bowl your next ball on the tv above the lane, I think you could use simmilar software on the robot to tell it what to do.

#4

to get a hook, just add a third shotter wheel perpindicular to the launch vector

#5

Thats a great idea!

#6

I recall going bowling with a group a while back, and one of the people were physically handicapped and confined to a wheelchair.

The bowling alley accommodated us with a setup very similar to what you are describing, minus the robot aiming part of course.

I can’t remember if it was duck pin bowling or regular 10 pin now, but it was a pretty cool way to get everyone involved.

http://www.dambachramps.com/Images/Aluminum%20bowling%20ramp.jpg

and page to buy one, although I’m sure you can make one easily with the right equipment available to you.

http://www.dambachramps.com/bowling.html

Notice this version does not have a “smooth” transition from the rails to the floor, but the rails are low enough to have the ball roll and not drop off the edge of the rails at the end because of the diameter of the ball.

Just one more design consideration to take into consideration depending on what size balls you want to shoot as well.

#7

It’d be great to have green pins so the robot could pick up spares by itself.

#8

I don’t think THIS PINis bright green enough to get the desired effect.

Try going for a BLUE ONE, a RED ONE, an ORANGE ONE, or a GOLD ONE.

#9

I know that the bowling alley has ramps that physically handicapped people can use and the lanes can be set up so that bumpers on each side of the lane are raised so that children don’t have the balls go into the gutters. I bowl with some people from program for mentally handicapped people but they won’t have the bumpers raised.

#10

too easy

a robot that can play golf, and hit a hole in one from all 18 greens - now that would be a challenge!

#11

now I know what we can use our leftover shooter for

#12

i see a summer project in my future :slight_smile:

#13

http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/january99/departments/news_notes/news_note.html

It’s called “throbot” and it helps design bowling balls. been around for about 7 years now. And if anyone thinks bowling is easy just ask andy grady and the members of 229 how they faired against the 121 bowlers…
http://membres.lycos.fr/jacobsen1940/Images/Throbot.jpg

#14

I can’t bring that big machine to the bowling alley. I was thinking of putting the ramp that is used by handicapped people on a robot that is just large enough for the ramp and put some kind of an arm behind the ball at the top of the ramp.

#15

compressed air

there is already guns that shoot balls but some courses limit the amount of pressure they can use and distance max to like 200-250 yards

#16