Ask HN: How do I launch a ping-pong ball across my office with Arduino?

I (and my coworkers) have started playing around with arduino.

I want too create a sh*y (simplest) racquet made of plastics, 'glue' it to a strong enough electric motor (servo?) and launch the ball across my office.

I have a servo motor in my starter arduino kit and it's not strong enough. People smarter than me suggested a spring of some kind. Is it possible to do this with just an electro-motor (what kind???) ? I'm willing to pay quite above average amount for components to get this to work with an electro-motor.

How would you launch (repeatedly) a ping-pong ball across an office?

edit: I want to swing my 'racquet' to launch the ball if possible.

3 comments

[ 0.25 ms ] story [ 17.9 ms ] thread

joezydeco 5y ago ↗

Check this Instructable and steal some ideas from there: https://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-controlled-Ping-Pon...

gvb 5y ago ↗

The simplest way would be to make a ping pong ball scale "spud gun" using an electronic underground sprinkler control valve to shoot the ball.

Ref: http://spudgunner.com/electronic.php

For motor based launchers, there are many ways: https://www.google.com/search?q=ball+launcher+mechanism

h2odragon 5y ago ↗

If you're fixated on a racket, use gravity as the spring; have your motor lift the racket and let the drop smack the ball.

I think I'd do a "pitching machine" with two drive wheels and a tube feeding balls in. much easier to make full auto, and then you can spend your effort doing the XYZ mount and face tracking auto-aiming system.