The Popinator

Comments

• Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514

  2012-09-20 10:37 edited 2012-09-20 10:37

  That's pure genius! I'd like to see how they feed a single piece of popcorn into the launcher without crushing it or getting doubles.
  
  -Phil
• skylight Posts: 1,915

  2012-09-20 10:43 edited 2012-09-20 10:43

  Yep pure genius but one problem I can forsee for you guys over there is what do you call your dad?
• davejames Posts: 4,047

  2012-09-20 10:43 edited 2012-09-20 10:43

  ...simply amazing ingenuity! I love it!!
• erco Posts: 20,261

  2012-09-20 10:50 edited 2012-09-20 10:50

  skylight wrote: »

  Yep pure genius but one problem I can forsee for you guys over there is what do you call your dad?

  
  That's why we didn't call it "Dadcorn".
• mindrobots Posts: 6,506

  2012-09-20 10:58 edited 2012-09-20 10:58

  "Beer!"
  
  ????
• Mark_T Posts: 1,981

  2012-09-20 11:32 edited 2012-09-20 11:32

  mindrobots wrote: »

  "Beer!"
  
  ????

  
  Can-in-face!
  
  Actually I'd love a grapinator! Or a peanutinator, or more general snackinator. Potato crisps might cause an issue, but if frisbee-shaped...
• erco Posts: 20,261

  2012-09-20 13:24 edited 2012-09-20 13:24

  mindrobots wrote: »

  "Beer!"

  
  That's so last decade!
  

  
• Lawson Posts: 870

  2012-09-20 19:21 edited 2012-09-20 19:21

  Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »

  That's pure genius! I'd like to see how they feed a single piece of popcorn into the launcher without crushing it or getting doubles.
  
  -Phil

  
  Sounds like that's a pneumatic cannon so that answers the "without crushing it." Not getting doubles? My guess is that it actively recycles any extras pulled in. It may also just be a breach loader, as I don't think any of the scenes in that video had multiple shots.
  
  I'm also skeptical they can get such an accurate 3D target position with just two microphones. The video shows targeting within about five degrees. I'd think range and elevation would be hard to get from two microphones without detailed modeling of the environment. (i.e. a couple more microphone's would be less work) With a cooperative target though, range and elevation might not be needed anyway.
  
  Still dang'd cool,
  Lawson
• Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514

  2012-09-20 20:39 edited 2012-09-20 20:39

  The beer from that launcher may foam a lot when you open it, but at least it's good to know that it's bomb-proof:
  

  http://motherboard.vice.com/2012/9/20/u-s-dropped-nukes-on-beer-and-it-was-a-good-idea-too

  
  -Phil
• erco Posts: 20,261

  2012-10-12 08:49 edited 2012-10-12 08:49

  Lawson wrote: »

  I'm also skeptical they can get such an accurate 3D target position with just two microphones. The video shows targeting within about five degrees.

  
  Lawson's right AGAIN! Breaking news in the Popinator scandal:
  http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1395&doc_id=252130
• doggiedoc Posts: 2,246

  2012-10-12 09:26 edited 2012-10-12 09:26

  "Using a reasonably sophisticated software algorithm and some sensor fusion, you can make that projectile travel accurately to the direction of the sound."

  
  Sensor fusion? Like asian sensors blended with latino sensors?
  
  Paul
• jazzed Posts: 11,803

  2012-10-12 09:27 edited 2012-10-12 09:27

  Related comment about my own personal situation removed. Sorry.
• davejames Posts: 4,047

  2012-10-12 09:32 edited 2012-10-12 09:32

  ...sigh...
  
  I hate being fooled.
  
  Should I have known better?
• erco Posts: 20,261

  2012-10-12 10:13 edited 2012-10-12 10:13

  doggiedoc wrote: »

  Sensor fusion? Like asian sensors blended with latino sensors?
  
  Paul

  
  Should we be censoring this sensor senationalism?
• doggiedoc Posts: 2,246

  2012-10-12 10:24 edited 2012-10-12 10:24

  erco wrote: »

  Should we be censoring this sensor senationalism?

  I don't know but I'm sure Phil will chime in with an equally witty comment!