My new invention

[dtknowles]

It is about the size and weight of a baseball. You turn it on and throw it. When it senses that it has come to rest, its telescoping legs (all ten of them in a decahedral pattern) extend possibly elevating it 3 inches. This is important, without that it is almost useless in anything but perfect conditions. Guess what it is.

Tim

[starmac]

Target. lol

[Plate plinker]

Lighting device?

[dtknowles]

I like the answers so far.

Tim

[sparky45]

wind flags

[JeffinNZ]

A mother-in-law mine.

[Smoke4320]

A mechanical porcupine
Useless in all but perfect conditions and pointed in all directions

[Smoke4320]

A mechanical porcupine

[Smoke4320]

Isis sensing claymore

[Sasquatch-1]

A homing basket ball for the lazy kids we are raising now days.:veryconfu

[Col4570]

A Wim Wam for a Ducks Bridle.

[PbHurler]

A fetch ball for a dog with a spinal condition that prevents it from putting it's nose all the way to the ground?

[smokeywolf]

Sounds like a widget.

[Hickok]

Bouncing betty or toe-tapper mine.:veryconfu

[funnyjim014]

Woodchuck hole plugger-upper lol

[Hogtamer]

an area light, when you need to see who's out there without giving yourself away!

[dtknowles]

It is a camera with 360 degree pan and tilt with image correction to show the picture right side up no matter how it lands.

Tim

[C. Latch]

It is a camera with 360 degree pan and tilt with image correction to show the picture right side up no matter how it lands.

Tim

I'm about 90% sure I saw an article last week about a similar device that police and military can use to see inside rooms....it was smaller, though. You could throw one in a room like a baseball and the cameras transmitted back to an armband receiver with a screen.

[starmac]

Ah, then I was right, if someone throws a ball into my yard that grows legs, then it becomes a target. lol

[dtknowles]

Ah, then I was right, if someone throws a ball into my yard that grows legs, then it becomes a target. lol

yup, :bigsmyl2:

[dtknowles]

I'm about 90% sure I saw an article last week about a similar device that police and military can use to see inside rooms....it was smaller, though. You could throw one in a room like a baseball and the cameras transmitted back to an armband receiver with a screen.

Small means it is limited in the environment where it is useful but may be easier to keep from being discovered. I am working on how to control the legs to make it so it can move itself around without consuming a lot of power.

Tim

[C. Latch]

Small means it is limited in the environment where it is useful but may be easier to keep from being discovered. I am working on how to control the legs to make it so it can move itself around without consuming a lot of power.

Tim

If it's basketball sized I'd think you could put a pretty substantial battery in it.

[Beagle333]

Like one of these things?

http://gizmodo.com/this-spherical-robot-can-unfurl-its-four-legs-after-bei-1736909960?fb_action_ids=10205341022420567&fb_action_types=og.likes

[dtknowles]

If it's basketball sized I'd think you could put a pretty substantial battery in it.

At basket ball size you can't really throw it very far and it does not hide well. At that size different forms and methods of deployment are available.

Tim

[dtknowles]

Like one of these things?

http://gizmodo.com/this-spherical-robot-can-unfurl-its-four-legs-after-bei-1736909960?fb_action_ids=10205341022420567&fb_action_types=og.likes

Not quite but on the right track. I want mine to be able to be thrown hundreds of feet.

Tim

[Russel Nash]

This is a soda can launcher upper meant for an AR:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/siteninja/site-ninja1-com/1416161653/wide_slide/Can_Cannon_Production_2.jpg?1416161647

It is powered by a blank cartridge. There are videos on youtube showing soda cans getting launched.

If your gadget doesn't have to remain silent and/or can survive the G forces of being launched, you could get tons more range than what a mere mortal can throw a baseball.

Your gadget is a dikfer.

Or a henway.

:)

[Artful]

This is a soda can launcher upper meant for an AR:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/siteninja/site-ninja1-com/1416161653/wide_slide/Can_Cannon_Production_2.jpg?1416161647

It is powered by a blank cartridge. There are videos on youtube showing soda cans getting launched.

If your gadget doesn't have to remain silent and/or can survive the G forces of being launched, you could get tons more range than what a mere mortal can throw a baseball.

Your gadget is a dikfer.

Or a henway.

:)

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/09/foghorn/breaking-atf-declares-soda-can-launcher-an-aow-all-owners-now-possibly-felons/


BREAKING: ATF Declares Soda Can Launcher an AOW, All Owners Now Possibly Felons (http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/09/foghorn/breaking-atf-declares-soda-can-launcher-an-aow-all-owners-now-possibly-felons/)

By Nick Leghorn (http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/author/foghorn/) on September 22, 2015

X Products came out with a nifty little device (http://www.xproducts.com/ar-15-soda-can-launcher-accessories-launcher) a while back that uses blank 5.56 NATO cartridges to launch soda cans through the air. It was a really cool and fun concept, and we’ve had a blast using it. (http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/06/daniel-zimmerman/gun-review-x-products-ar-15-can-cannon/) Apparently the ATF has caught wind of this little ray of fun and sunshine and decided that it must be stamped out at all costs. X Products received a love note from the firearms regulators the other day stating that their product is now considered an “Any Other Weapon,” an item which is highly regulated under the National Firearms Act. The hyper-regulatory brainiacs consider the can luncher a “shotgun” meaning your SBR tax stamp won’t cut the mustard here. In short, anyone who owns one of these things without paying the tax stamp for the privilege may be a felon in the eyes of the ATF. Here’s the letter from X Products . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndQoLg1fXW8

Dear Customers,
We recently received a complete evaluation from the [ATF] on the legal status of the Can Cannon dated: August 26th, Received September 11, 2015. The evaluation of the Can Cannon as currently produced is in and of itself not a firearm and not controlled, however when placed on a rifle receiver is considered a (SBR) short barrel rifle, and when placed on a pistol (AOW) any other weapon.
We are submitting a revised design to address the issues in the [ATF]’s determination letter. We will update our customers throughout this process.
For any questions or inquiries about this matter, please email warranty@xproducts.com
A copy of the determination letter will be available on our site shortly.
Best Regards,
X Products LLC

As posted on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/xproductsllc/photos/a.394696967238284.87433.158538224187494/965342923507016/?type=1&theater), determination letteravailable here (http://s3.amazonaws.com/siteninja/site-ninja1-com/1442932884/original/Can_Cannon_Determination_Letter.pdf))
The problem here is that the ATF has defined this item as a shotgun. Since the “barrel” of the gun is smooth instead of rifled (the soda can is the projectile in this case) they can’t call it a rifle so the type reverts to a shotgun.
Shotguns must have a barrel length of 18 inches or more, and since the shroud for the launcher is only 11 inches and change, it doesn’t meet that standard. Therefore the firearm is considered an AOW when attached to an AR-15 pistol lower receiver. There’s no mention about what the gun would be considered when attached to a “rifle” lower receiver, but due to their determination, chances are it would either be a short barreled rifle or shotgun.
The ATF is going out of its way these days to make life as a law-abiding gun owner as difficult as possible. Admittedly it was arguably X Product’s fault that they started selling these things without an ATF opinion letter, but it seems that in this case the ATF is just being as pig-headed and obstinate as possible for no good reason.





FYI

[dtknowles]

Your gadget is a dikfer.

Or a henway.

:)

Sorry if I don't fall for your old jokes.

Tim

[Four-Sixty]

Someone already beat you to it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/20/dragons_egg_land_warrior_to_the_stan/

"The patented Dragon Egg™ System is the original, throwable, wireless camera. Self-righting, rugged, and compact, the Dragon Egg™ can be thrown through windows, over walls, or lowered from rooftops to provide instant surveillance. Using four separate cameras, each Dragon Egg™ provides 360° of simultaneous video coverage with no need to pan or tilt, which ensures continuous surveillance. The transmitted video can be viewed on multiple receivers."

[dtknowles]

Someone already beat you to it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/20/dragons_egg_land_warrior_to_the_stan/

"The patented Dragon Egg™ System is the original, throwable, wireless camera. Self-righting, rugged, and compact, the Dragon Egg™ can be thrown through windows, over walls, or lowered from rooftops to provide instant surveillance. Using four separate cameras, each Dragon Egg™ provides 360° of simultaneous video coverage with no need to pan or tilt, which ensures continuous surveillance. The transmitted video can be viewed on multiple receivers."

Well, I am only 7 years too late.

Tim

[Artful]

Well, I am only 7 years too late.

Tim

Actually - none of the ones listed so far are mobile on their own - just scan from where they stop after being thrown, so your legs idea is a good one - as far as


I am working on how to control the legs to make it so it can move itself around without consuming a lot of power.

Look to the animal kingdom lots of smaller critters using rowing motion of their legs.

[popper]

Biggest problem is motivation, viewpoint and self-righting shape. Moveable C.G. spider-ball works but optics is a problem (try spherical CCD array & image re-creation software + S.S. 3D compass for positioning). Triangle self righting crawlers like NASA or spider walkers (GKs have the toy ones) - but they typically are not self righters. Super Caps for power. LOL.

[Artful]

Don't think you have to physically right it at all - lens on each of 4 sides top and bottom with overlapping fields so doesn't matter which orientation it lands on - legs coming out equally around the sphere - so that say 5 legs touch in any direction - pull a leg in partially move it in the direction you want to go and touch down - continue with the other 4 and at the end you'll have movement.

[MaryB]

Don't have the legs come out unless you need height, to move extend legs on opposite direction and roll. Go with the cameras with overlapping fields because you may see something that a single direction camera will miss. Think of slowly rolling into a warehouse full of terrorists and seeing the entire inside of the building and locating everyone visible at one time without excess movement or noise. Add a shaped charge and a detonator to explode weapons caches remotely...

[Artful]

Actually Mary's right - if you have a way to directionally roll the ball it will be faster and quieter - just extend the legs when you have too.

[dtknowles]

lots of good thoughts, I was going to get it to roll by extending the legs in the back and retracting the ones in the front and then progress the extending and retracting to keep the motion going, it will fall toward the retracting legs and away from the extended ones and can be made to turn or move sideways the same way.

Tim

[Artful]

Well that would work - is there room inside to have a weight to just change the center of gravity to just have it fall forward without the legs? Clear Acrylic Shell with Camera's inside?

http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/19/review-the-sphero-a-ball-with-personality/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S5lUDvlu3A
http://res.cloudinary.com/engineering-com/image/upload/w_350,c_limit/Bb-8-2_ftce3j.jpg

[robg]

its a dufer it wil do for this and that

[popper]

Move like the aliens from the scify movie, a little ball with hair-like legs and a mouth? No, just a gimbals system, C.G. moving weight - inertia (battery, computer & stepper/linear motor). Actually you can make it hop & go up hills. Like Dad told me - you want to run, lean forward and keep you legs under you so you don't face plant. Sphere with fixed spines - silicon sensor in the spines/legs for camera - some IR, some Vis. Scan & stream the array & use remote computer to recreate scene. Motion unit computer receives direction command and controls sliding weight for movement. Very low friction and power use. Few moving parts - cheap to manufacture.

[dtknowles]

The size of the obstacle you want to be able to roll over is key to the amount of CG shift required for movement. CG shift is limited by mass and moment arm. Size and weight are limited in my concept to Baseball parameters. The leg extension/retraction was already in the concept moving internal mass around would be hard.

Tim

[scarry scarney]

Tim

I have some buddies who are SWAT guys, if you need a field test, let me know.

[Artful]

I'm thinking do you really want the legs? How about clear shell with your stuff inside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FHtcR78GA0
Polycarbonate outer shell for movement

[popper]

The size of the obstacle you want to be able to roll over is key to the amount of CG shift required for movement. Nope, just the momentum you can generate. I've seen little gyros jump 2 feet when preccessed.

[dtknowles]

Nope, just the momentum you can generate. I've seen little gyros jump 2 feet when preccessed.

Won't have the power to move fast barely crawl.

[MaryB]

You use a super capacitor for high current pulses, they do make small ones!