Instead of a laser, maybe consider making a large panel momentary switch that the ball would bounce on? Essentially a big button that the ball would press with each bounce.
I don't know what to say about the fans, but it would be neat to see a perpetually bouncing ball. Good luck.
Sounds like a good idea from Charlie, though by the time that the ball hits the ground it may be to late to start applying the air to it before it gets off balance.
I would look at the air dynamics and how the air moves around the ball. It may not be that the fans are not powerful enough but that their energy is currently too diffuse. One idea might be to create a focused column of air with one fan. If you direct the air to move just right I think that you will also be able to keep the ball in balance so that it does not fall out of the wind.
A floor switch sounds good, but right now I think I should just make sure fans can have some effect. A couple ideas:
Putting more air in the ball will make it bounce higher and reduce the need for fans to do as much work. At the same time, this will increase the mass of the inflated ball but only on the scale of a few grams or so (the mass of a gallon or two of air at one atm. So more air in the ball.
Also, as long as the bounce is perpetual, I'm thinking the exact timing issues shouldn't matter. I can put a delay in the microcontroller that will take the input and time the fans for the next bounce.
4 comments:
Instead of a laser, maybe consider making a large panel momentary switch that the ball would bounce on? Essentially a big button that the ball would press with each bounce.
I don't know what to say about the fans, but it would be neat to see a perpetually bouncing ball. Good luck.
Sounds like a good idea from Charlie, though by the time that the ball hits the ground it may be to late to start applying the air to it before it gets off balance.
I would look at the air dynamics and how the air moves around the ball. It may not be that the fans are not powerful enough but that their energy is currently too diffuse. One idea might be to create a focused column of air with one fan. If you direct the air to move just right I think that you will also be able to keep the ball in balance so that it does not fall out of the wind.
Hope this helps, best of luck.
Wow! Thanks for the advice, guys!
A floor switch sounds good, but right now I think I should just make sure fans can have some effect. A couple ideas:
Putting more air in the ball will make it bounce higher and reduce the need for fans to do as much work. At the same time, this will increase the mass of the inflated ball but only on the scale of a few grams or so (the mass of a gallon or two of air at one atm. So more air in the ball.
Also, as long as the bounce is perpetual, I'm thinking the exact timing issues shouldn't matter. I can put a delay in the microcontroller that will take the input and time the fans for the next bounce.
Man, do I love this kind of nerdy stuff! Where's this showing, Zach?
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