Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: sasrer@unx.sas.com (Rodney Radford)
Subject: Re: robot ping-pong (table tennis) ?
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Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 16:30:20 GMT
References: <1993Feb28.020106.1@cudnvr.denver.colorado.edu>
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pklammer@cudnvr.denver.colorado.edu writes:

>I understand there have been some robots to play ping-pong (table
>tennis), or a contest between ping-pong-playing robots, is this so?
>Any leads to documentation, or especially any videotapes, would be
>appreciated; thanks in advance.

One of the MIT Press books is about a robot playing ping pong player, and the
algorithms for it. If I remember properly, it uses a modified PUMA robot,
and two video cameras for input. It actually determines the flight of the
ball and can even detect (and put) spin on the ball!

The official ping pong rules were modified slightly - I believe it had a 
higher net (no low, fast balls!), and I think the table was smaller. I have
heard that other robotic ping pong playing robots were built and that there
has been a competition, but I don't have any information on that.

BTW: I have the MIT Press book described above, and I can check the title and
     author for it if you are interested - it is at home.
>-- 
>Peter F. Klammer, CCP/ACM/IEEE/HKN/TBP/LPF  pklammer@cudnvr.Denver.Colorado.EDU
>(303)233-9485                                          PKLAMMER@CUDENVER.bitnet
>11221 West 27th Place                  Stop software patents!  Join the League!
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--
---
Rodney Radford          || Computer Graphics/Imaging
sasrer@unx.sas.com      || SAS Institute, Inc.
(919) 677-8000 x7703    || Cary, NC  27513

