Gizmodo: ping pong

Ping Pong Robot Hides in the Ceiling Until the Moment Is Right

Adam Frucci — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST

There are office pranks and then there are office pranks. This ceiling-mounted, ping-pong-ball-firing robot is distinctly in the latter category.

Built by someone from the CKBot group at UPenn's Modlab, this terrifying little device hides in the ceiling above a cubicle. When activated, it pops up a ceiling tile and unleashes a hot fury of ping pong balls down on the unsuspecting victim. It is, in a word, amazing. [Modlab via BotJunkie]

Ping Pong Terminator

Mark Wilson — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:35:59 EST

Vietnamese robot Topio is a master of ping pong. He also has an ab regimen that effectively distracts from his receding hairline. [Pink Tentacle]

This Pneumatic Gun Can Put a Ping Pong Ball Through a Sheet of Plywood

Adam Frucci — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EDT

Ping pong balls are relatively harmless, most of the time. Even if someone slams one at you with a paddle, it never hurts all that much. This pneumatic cannon changes that. [TinyEnormous via Make]

Mirrored Ping Pong Table is Great for Swinging Bachelors and Flashy Drug Dealers

Adam Frucci — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:40:00 EST

Nothing says "I know how to party" like a ping pong table completely covered in mirrors. After all, you can't do lines off a regular ping pong table, right?

The table, titled "Reflection" (Oh, now I get it) is an art piece by Rirkrit Tiravanija, and it's on display at NYEHaus on Gramercy Park in NYC until February 22nd, if you want to try to talk them into letting you play a quick game on it. [Anna Grimm via NYHaus]

Modular Ping Pong Table Allows For Crazy 12 Player Games

Sean Fallon — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EDT

If you have ever watched a professional table tennis tournament (or Forrest Gump at least) you know that a two-person game can get completely insane. Now, imagine the mayhem that would ensue with up to 12 people battling it out at once. Thanks to designer Guenter Arndt and his modular table tennis system, this ridiculousness is a reality.

Simply put, users can arrange the tables in any configuration that they desire. You can even retro fit a traditional table to add wild new elements to your game. Currently, Arndt's table is up for a Next Big Thing Award for 2008, and a book is in the works that outlines configurations and rules for serious multi-player games. If it ever does go up for sale, all you would need is a really long Foosball table and some 3-player chess to complete the ultimate game room. [Project Page and Next Big Thing via Crunchgear]

RoboPong 2040 Terminates Fun Time

Mark Wilson — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT

For some reason, an advertisement from the movie Crazy People comes to mind when watching this RoboPong 2040 commercial. "Robopong won't just scare you; it will fuck you up for the rest of your life." Yeah, it costs $700. Yeah, it's better at ping pong than you. And yeah, after it embeds a ball into your skull it will "comfort" your grieving wife before teaching your children to play table tennis "just like their pop" and enjoying endless hours of fetch with your dog. Because in a battle between RoboPong and the Terminator, we're betting on RoboPong. So you, my soft, fleshy friend, don't stand a chance. [Newgy via DVICE]

Audio Ping Pong is a Pain in the Neck...Literally

Sean Fallon — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EDT

The arduino platform has been the basis for a lot of bizarre gadgetry over the years, and the audio ping pong project by Mike McCracken certainly stands up to the best of them. The game is essentially the classic Pong with one major alteration—instead of using your hands and eyes, the game is controlled with audio cues and head movements.

When the headphones are on, the player hears a sound (the ball) that seems to be getting closer. In order to return "the ball" you tilt your head to one side or the other depending on which side the movement is heard. The challenge is to center the sound and return the volley. As the contest progresses, the speed increases until you miss the ball or you break your neck—whichever comes first. As you lie twitching on the ground, a buzzer and a light from the machine will mock your defeat. To discover just how stupid all of this makes you look, check out the video below.

[Mike McCracken via MAKE]

Wii Crossbow Has Laser Sight, Tip Covered by Ping Pong Ball

Haroon Malik — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:50:00 EST

We have seen our fair share of Wii peripherals, but the Wii Crossbow actually looks like it could be used by police officials to take down the bad guys. Sure, the ping pong ball tip doesn't look too menacing, but we're sure there's a razor sharp arrow underneath.

If you're worried aiming is going to be an issue, fret not. A laser sight is included to make sure you beat all your current scores in Link's Crossbow Training. Priced at $28, the Wii Crossbow is priced on the steep side, but you can always take it in the garden, load it up with Nerf darts and pelt the bejeezus out of next door's cat. Alternatively, you could use it to save some Christian aid officials that unwittingly have happened upon difficult times in war-torn Burma. You are Rambo. [Deal Extreme viaTechnabob]

Absolut Quartet Makes an Orchestra Out of Ping-Pong Ball Cannons, Robots and You

Haroon Malik — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:45:00 EST

The Absolut Quartet is an impressive electromechanical sculpture, which was put together by Dan Paluska and Jeff Lieberman. Using ping-pong ball cannons to play a marimba, robot fingers to tinker wine glasses and a central computer to control, well, the whole lot, the two creative minds have created the first—to our knowledge—ping-pong ball based orchestra, which is controlled by you using a web based interface. It may not be our music of choice to chill out to, but we can't helped but be dazzled by the majestic union of technology and music, once again. Check out the video above for some ping-ponging, ding-donging, da la la la, ting ting musical madness. Be sure to pop down to 186 Orchard st. in NYC to see it in the flesh. [Absolut machines viaMAKE]

Brando Finger Mouse as Useful as Superman Without Flying Abilities

Haroon Malik — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:31:03 EST

On restless nights you may have found yourself asking the question, "Why isn't there a finger-mounted, wireless mouse?" Well, put your woes aside, as the ~~loonies~~ great chaps at Brando were thinking the same thing, hence the Wireless Finger Mouse. As you may have guessed, the mouse is finger mounted, specifically to your index digit, whilst the click buttons are operated by your neighboring thumb. Sure, it will function on any surface, but you will require the Hulk's muscular hand to be able to carry the hefty device further than 2-inches in any direction.

The Finger Mouse operates using 2.4GHz (RF) wireless connection, is compatible with Windows only and also comes supplied with a USB alternative connection, which makes it even more pointless. Quite frankly, the Finger Mouse is more ridiculous than Superman walking somewhere really, really far, but how can we hate Brando? There we were thinking they couldn't possibly top the Ping-Pong webcam—boy, they sure did show us. [Brando]

Ping Pong-Themed Webcam Hopefully First and Last Homage to Balls Of Fury

AddyDugdale — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:10:13 EST

Oh Brando, not only do you not heed my pleas for a USB trouser press, but you also continue putting products that are, quite frankly, strange and reprehensible. Who in their right mind would be interested in buying a webcam that looks like a ping-pong bat? Don't you know that we computer-fixed weirdies have no interest whatsoever in exercise? Some of us, however, do appreciate the box of tissues in one of the press shots. Ping-Pong and webcam aficionados may want to jump for the full specs, anyone with a dirty mind just head straight to the gallery.

Lens rotation for adjusting clear image
3 colors changing LED light
Video Conferencing
Workable on ICQ, MSN, Skype, etc
Plug and play
USB Interface
Fully support USB 1.0 and 2.0
Drive free for Windows XP and Vista
Size: 53 x 72 x 73mm (approx.)
Weight: 91g

The ping-pong webcam costs $19— although, IMHO, Brando should be paying us 19 bucks to take it off its hands. [Brando]

Ping Pong Ball Fired From Cannon Destroys Can, Self

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST

In these shots, a ping-pong ball fired at an unnamed "near-sonic" speed destroys a metal can that, you'll note, is first dented just by the cushion of air coming from the barrel. Kinda makes you wonder how much devastation the cannon could have gotten done without any projectile at all. If this rings of deja-vu, it's because yesterday I posted a video series of a tennis-ball cannon that I mistakenly thought was the same device. Consider it a two-fer and enjoy the bonus annihilation. [Make]

Tennis Ball Howitzer Vs. Things You Find at a Grocery Store

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:40:00 EST

Leave it to the geniuses at the NIT Physics Lab in Japan to build a cannon that fires ~~ping-pong~~ tennis balls at ~~near-sonic~~ 700 Km/h, annihilating cabbages, Coke bottles and what look like sundry colorfully packaged snack-food items. There's no dramatic tension here, just the satisfaction of seeing the strong overpower the weak. Want more? Update: Some of you pointed out inconsistencies that, upon review, turned out were the result of me reading one thing and watching another, combining the two into one big idea. My apologies.

I don't read Japanese, but this cabbage-penetration vid literally got me aroused, especially when they switch to slow-mo:

This final one has most of the quick shots from the first vid, only with more build-up and speed indicators:

[YouTube via Make—bonus crazy slow-mo ping-pong devastation pics there!]

Door Transcends Door to Become Ping-Pong Table

Mark Wilson — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:15:55 EDT

It's not that we have any particular dislike for doors, it's just that, growing up in a barn, we never had any use for them. But with our current Balls-of-Fury-infused obsession, the Ping-Pong door is enough to change our minds. Housing a Ping-Pong table within an internal frame, the door...unfolds...for a quick match. It's a clever, efficient use of space for those who don't require a full-size table to get their Forrest Gump on.

Oh—just a minor caveat. One side of the door has to be bright green. We suggest not telling your duplex neighbor before installation. The doortable is set to go on sale next year. And we'll be the first to let you know after we preorder. [product via yanko via scifitech]

DIY Ping Pong Ball Gun in 30 Seconds

blongo3 — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:28:27 EDT

Ping Pong Gun - video powered by Metacafe
This is a friendly warning to all Gizmodo employees. You will never feel safe while on the job ever again. Why is that? Because while you watch this video on how to quickly make a very effective ping pong ball gun, one of us is already finishing ours and is hiding around the corner. Good luck, and keep your senses sharp.– Benjamin Longo

DIY Ping Pong Gun [Random Good Stuff]

Floating Table Tennis Game

Travis Hudson — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:00:05 EDT

This waterproof floating table tennis table is the perfect addition to any summer party. It measures in at 54 inches long by 27 inches wide, which is significantly smaller than a traditional table, but it could still provide some fun. It has a hard top surface and soft sides (for smashing it against the opponent upon defeat). Personally, It would work better for pool beer pong, but what else would you expect me to say—I'm a 22-year-old college student who loves beer bongs. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via ubergizmo]