The system itself will set you back $80,000, no pool table included. At the Esquire Ultimate Bachelor Pad, where it's currently set up, it's projecting on a $125,000 pool table. Bottom line: you can't afford it.

In addition to this setup, where the balls reveal an image hidden underneath, you can also set it up to have flames track behind the balls, or water that ripples as the balls pass over it. It's a pretty awesome trick, one that works surprisingly smoothly.

They're working on new software that will make it more useful than flashy, too. Imagine playing pool and having the lines where you should shoot projected down on the table, with a computer doing all the math necessary to show you just where to aim and how hard to hit. Pretty sweet.

[Esquire Soho]

What's also cool is that the technology has spun off an augmented reality projection. It basically lets you cheat and line up shots like you can playing a pool video game. I'm betting it won't be long until we see that sort of thing show up in night spots where drunk folk can appreciate the eye candy. Oh, and unless you're a handbag trance fan, turn down your speakers for the video. [Deep Green via GrunchGear and Boing Boing Gadgets]

But what would something like this be like to drive I wonder? Like a cross between a car, inline skates and a unicycle I bet. Hmmm, that sounds better than my car too. [Hurricane Billiards via Autoblog via Born Rich]

This $3400 piece of furniture keeps all your pool accessories tucked away, so that when your not hustling friends and family for money, your newly acquired Jacksons are the only thing you have to look at. And when you are hustling friends and family, there's even a spot for them to sit while they watch you run the table. It's a win-win situation! [Leather Cue Bench via BallerHouse via Born Rich via Dvice]

The whole thing is a little slapdash due to the budget limitations of the students who made it, but it's even more impressive when you consider the means they had to work with.

The limiting factor of our implementation was hardware. Unfortunately, projectors and web cameras with adequate wide angle lenses are priced outside of our means, and as such, we found that we needed to use key-stoning algorithms to correct for the fact that the camera was located in the corner of the room, rather than above the pool table, and had to use a very large mirror mounted to the ceiling to allow enough room for the projector to display on the whole table. The mirror introduced further issue insomuch as a mirror, glued to a large piece of plywood and hung upside down does not tend to be flat. And as a result, we had to account for those distortions in our code as well.

It’s also worth noting that the code was designed using Microsoft Visual studio 2005 as an embedded OS project for an e-Box 2300.

If they had better cameras and projectors running through a faster machine, it could be a pretty amazing teaching/cheating tool. [Project Page via Hackaday]

[JM Billiard Co. via Born Rich]

Plus, when you're done playing pool and want to switch to tennis, the gigantic pointy stick will make your swings even more deadly to your opponents.

Product Page [GoldneShopvia DCEmu via Kotaku]

Clearly, the best way to watch DVDs is on a tiny LCD screen on the side of a pool table. I mean, sure, you'll need to sit on the ground to watch it, and you'll risk getting hit in the head with pool cues as annoyed players try to work around you, but it's so classy! And in addition to the latest and greatest DVD technology, this table also has a completely up-to-date PS2 built into it, so you can play the greatest games of the last generation. Other accoutrements such as a bar, lights, and flat speakers make this thing totally worth $12,000. Yes, totally worth it, you moron. –Adam Frucci

Product Page [via Born Rich]

Crafted from steel and composite materials, then finished with brushed aluminum, it weighs in at a respectable 660lbs. The conversion process takes 8 steps that includes a crank (so you know it's gotta be good). Hit the jump for pictures of the process and the link for a slowly loading video. – Mark Wilson

Product Page [via mocoloco]

Old enough to remember thinking Star Trek 3D Chess looked really cool but, you know, you just really weren't into chess? You'll get a kick out of the Zocker Toys 3D Pool Table. Three levels to play on, you start on the top level and try to get your balls into the bottom pockets—the tricky thing is that the balls can go up levels as well as down. $129.99 from Zocker Toys, shipping and handling included.

Zocker 3D Pool Table [Zocker Toys]
3D Billiards [OhGizmo!]

Zocker 3D Pool Table on sale for $79.99 [Amazon]