Disc throwing robot a possibility?

[bsammons]

Was brought up by tylerc in a different thread.
There are automatic pitching machines, golf swing replicators, etc to try out different gear and equipment. What would a disc throwing machine/lever look like, and would it really be possible without damaging the disc? Feel like this could be a really cool topic for the creative and technical type


I feel this could be really useful for testing out discs without any bias. A machine that throws all discs the same without varying nose angles/spin rates/speeds, and could be used to make flight charts/for manufactures to refine molds/determine exact flight tendencies/etc

 

[nrihan]

I've often wondered then same thing. I guess I thought maybe companies had such a machine already.

 

[Hampstead]

Unless someone threw the same as the robot, the discs will still fly differently for different people.

 

[Jolt]

I´m sure Grant Imahara from Mythbusters could build one

And i think PDGA should have one so THEY could set the flight numbers for a disc at the approval stage

Test the disc at "pro arm speed" and lets say two slower arm speeds

 

[John Hansen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rFILFGE1TU

 

[R-Ogre]

Unless someone threw the same as the robot, the discs will still fly differently for different people.

Sure. But you could finally have objective, brand to brand analysis of flight numbers. Which would be cool.

 

[todvan]

Bowling does it.....https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oX5H1U46WGc

 

[brutalbrutus]

This is for ultimate discs but something like this could easily be turned into a golf disc launcher. You need to get more power into it obviously but the way they have the tilt system set up would be great for nose angle testing and you could make the top rotate for hyzer/anhy angles.

There are several different kinds of these on youtube.

 

[Hampstead]

Sure. But you could finally have objective, brand to brand analysis of flight numbers. Which would be cool.

Fine. But they would have to do it for each disc individually depending on plastic type, dome, PLH, etc.

 

[Jolt]

Fine. But they would have to do it for each disc individually depending on plastic type, dome, PLH, etc.

But that is a problem today, i feel like sometimes even the Discs Measurement is of from what the PDGA gives a disc.
For an example PDGA have the Undertaker at Rim with 1,9cm. . .i have 10 Undertakers, non are even close to 1,9cm

If i had unlimited funds and a discstore. . . the dream would be to have a "throwing robot" with adjustable throwing speed and angle.

So if a customer walked in i could measure his/her armspeed the set the robot to that speed and test discs for that customer at a perfect angle and speed . .

 

[uncle pennybags]

I've been thinking lately that they need a 3d scanner and some kind of cad software to do measurements. That could take the human element out of using a calipers.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Unless someone threw the same as the robot, the discs will still fly differently for different people.

This is a completely valid point.

Even if you had a device that could throw several different molds with exactly the same parameters (e.g. initial velocity, pitch, yaw, roll angles, etc), it might only be of limited use if the way people throw discs is different from the way the machine does.

Obviously, the goal would be to make the robot throw the same as a person. But therein lies the problem, because: What does a person throw like? and who's the person? I doubt I throw like Hampy, or he throws like you. The algorithms you'd need to develop to be able to simulate throwing like Paul, Seppo, Ricky, Paige, Joe Am 1, Robby Rec, Nicky Newb... would likely be mind boggling. What about sidearm? How many players have Sarah Hokom's form?

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rFILFGE1TU

I'm thinking this would be a good starting point to a standardized throwing machine.
- Consistent angle of release could be achieved with an adjustable stand.
- It can be built both ways(the one in video is throwing with LHBH rotation).
- The fence it rides along(opposite the wheel) can be changed for different disc diameters.
- Disc rotation speed (snap) can be regulated thru the RPMs of the wheel.

The only thing really missing is the arm speed and those mechanical movements.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

Even if the throwing machine doesn't mimic a human throw, at least it would be able to consistently repeat a throw with the same disc.
I.E. you launch a Roc indoors on a turf field and the next Roc you launch lands within a foot or so of the first.

 

[bsammons]

^^^thats really the point, to measure flights of discs vs others.

Then you could see the difference-what really is the flight difference of a PD vs Thunderbird vs Anax vs etc
Later then, more glide, etc etc all could be determined if the throw is identical, every time. Doesn't have to throw like Seppo/Paul/Simon, it would just have to throw within the normal human range of speed and spin. Once the disc is in the air, with its rotation, speed, nose angle, and trajectory determined, it wouldn't matter what the form is because it could compare discs against eachother without the human factor

 

[jakebake91]

We can build robots to assist with highly critical surgeries, we can build highly complex robots to completely run a massive manufacturing facility completely lights out.....I'm pretty positive that we can build a robot to chuck a piece of plastic.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I know of at least one throwing machine being developed along the lines of the one shown in the video clip above. They've discovered some technical issues that need to be worked out to make it more closely simulate golf throws. No idea on timing.

 

[Hampstead]

^^^thats really the point, to measure flights of discs vs others.

Then you could see the difference-what really is the flight difference of a PD vs Thunderbird vs Anax vs etc
Later then, more glide, etc etc all could be determined if the throw is identical, every time. Doesn't have to throw like Seppo/Paul/Simon, it would just have to throw within the normal human range of speed and spin. Once the disc is in the air, with its rotation, speed, nose angle, and trajectory determined, it wouldn't matter what the form is because it could compare discs against eachother without the human factor

Sounds good in theory. Problem is, discs are inconsistent enough that I'm not sure you could get a stack of PDs to fly like other PDs (what run? plastic? plh? etc)

 

[DiscFifty]

Obviously, the goal would be to make the robot throw the same as a person.

I disagree. If I was using a robot to decide which disc to buy, I would want the robot to throw the disc the same exact way each time: flat and level. The only parameter I would want adjusted is the disc velocity (mph). This way I could easily understand it's flight path and decide how over/under stable the disc is.

 

[zgmc]

I don't see the point in this at all really. Hamp has already made a lot of good points..

But, yeah its possible. Clay pigeon throwers have been around for a long time.