Development of an autonomous robotic air hockey player

Abstract

Air hockey is a widely played sport in the United States and is expanding to other countries. It is usually played on a frictionless table between two or more people. The dependency of another individual makes it impossible for a person to practice or play alone. An autonomous two-link manipulator was designed and developed to allow a person to individually play air hockey. The two-link manipulator consisted of a mechanical, electrical, and software system. The mechanical system was designed to actuate the two-link manipulator through geared motors and a belt transmission while being self-contained. The electrical system was designed to provide feedback of the physical system and motor control capabilities. The software system was designed to integrate the information from the mechanical and electrical systems to create the controls and behavior of the mechanical arm. The autonomous two-link manipulator proved to be a robust design. It had a 68.5 percent hit rate, suggesting that the design will be capable of playing air hockey.