Shuttlecock Launching Machine ???

Discussion in 'Shuttlecock' started by nuttyengineer, Oct 10, 2004.

  1. nuttyengineer

    nuttyengineer Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2004
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Hi everyone,

    I am currently studying a degree in Engineering at a University in the UK. As part of my degree a group of students I am working with have decided to design and manufacture a working Shuttlecock Launcher. We have built a prototype which works fine but we would like to further develop it as part of our project. We are also currently investigating the possiblity of a Business play in relation to the further manufacturing of this launcher; for this we need to make a business plan which involves researching the market for this machine.

    As part of my research I would like to know from you the badminton professionals and amatuers alike what sort of expectations would you have from such a machine? Is there a need for such a machine? What kind of features would you want it to have? Who do you think this kind of machine would be best suited for (beginners?, proffessionals?)? Would you use the machine? How much would you as an individual or club be willing to pay for such a machine? Please let me know what you think. All serious feedback is welcome. Thanks in advance .

    [For clarification the machine launches a series of shuttles from one side of the court over the net to the other at various distances (short drop, long lob) in different directions.]
     
  2. Tomsk

    Tomsk Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2002
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    1. The machine needs to be transportable, ideally to fit in the boot/trunk of a car.

    2. have you considered how you load the shuttles? The best way would be just throw the shuttles in a hopper without presorting.

    3. remote control

    4. having been on a coaching course, I think a better business idea would be a machine or device that can pick up shuttles and sort them into 'tubes' ready for use by the coach. (You heard it here first! ;) )
     
  3. frendies

    frendies Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2003
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    medical
    Location:
    Montreal

    Like those little 4 wheels machines that pick up golf balls in the driving range fields? ;-)
     
  4. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,908
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Cannock, UK
  5. wedgewenis

    wedgewenis Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2002
    Messages:
    650
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    i can't believe there isn't a professional (made by yonex :confused: )
    one already

    i hate that i can't practice shots w/out a partner :crying:
     
  6. nuttyengineer

    nuttyengineer Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2004
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Thanks Neil, did a search earlier but for me as a lay person I just put in Shuttle Launcher. Some very interesting comments made in that thread.....
    nuttyengineer: taking notes scribble scribble scribble, rubs out and redesigns....

     
  7. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2002
    Messages:
    2,908
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Cannock, UK
    things seem to be easier to find when you know that they're there.
    searching would be easier if shuttles weren't also called birds and balls
    ah well, vive le difference
     
  8. nuttyengineer

    nuttyengineer Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2004
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Thanks Tomsk ...
    1. one of the things that has been considered is transportablity. Here a compromise has to be made between the amount of functions this machine should have and size. This we have taken into consideration and are now also working on downsizing the prototype... although there is a limit which we cannot go under due to the very basics of mechanical calculations.

    2. Shuttle loading is not a problem, once I make that machine to pick up the shuttles and sort them then loading of the launcher should be a breeze. Again here a compromise has to be made between do we put a hopper on the machine itself (which makes the machine larger and heavier), or do we make loading the machine as simple and easy as possible... we have solutions to that on paper. How does 100 shuttles being fed at you in series sound? Do you need more per round? I think that is a fair amount of shuttles to clear up. Too many on the court would not be a help especially when you start stepping on them during training.

    3. Remote control is one feature we have also considered. That one of the electronics guys will be working on. Good point.

    4. Point well taken, that can be a simple machine, with balls it is very simple, with shuttles it can be challenging to collect and sort, not a problem just a challenge. Building a Shuttlecock Launcher is "A whole new Ball Game"

    Taking notes.... scribble scribble... The Nutty Engineer: giving the people what they want!

     
  9. nuttyengineer

    nuttyengineer Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2004
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    UK
    Shuttlecock Launcher: A reality needing refinement

    Hello again :) ,

    Just to give you some more background information. The Launcher which we have made does not work with compressed air like that of S.T. hence it does not have the same loud noise level as that fine S.T. machine. Works solely electro-mechanically. So do not worry about noise.

    Mobility was of course something that we also have taken into consideration and we have made the unit mobile. At present it weighs about 15kgs which is not its final weight but we have aimed to keep it as light as possilble. No where near the 60kgs of other models. The unit is however not meant to be portable...in the sense its not something you fold up and put under your arm and walk home with. Come on we have to be realistic. Look at tennis-ball or base-ball launchers. They are mobile, yes... portable...no, not the majority in any case.

    Now if the machine should be able to "smash" or drive that shuttle down on the other side, it needs height... the little I know of badminton is that you can't do that from below the net. Hence the machine would need to be raised for practicing "returns of drives". Hence the launcher would need a stand and that is the simple solution which S&T did however their machine was 60kg "light" so try lifting that on your own up to a height of around 1.8m (5-6ft). So here again we are taking great care to design a "lighter" machine.

    Those are just a few thoughts to let you see a bit of how a nuttyengineer thinks. Don't worry we won't get into the techy bits of integrating to find the curve of trajectory after differentiating the rate at which the shuttle will fly through the air... don't ask me, I don't have a clue either :p

    The Nutty Engineer: Giving the people what they want. TELL ME MORE PLEASE
     
  10. Dill

    Dill Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2003
    Messages:
    1,922
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Lazy git (my coach can verify this)
    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    The only thing a shuttle feeder can do is the one shot over and over again, so in effect is is very basic since the shuttle is launced the same way for that set!

    Players need to be put under pressure and if the feeder can hit a clear then a net shot or any combination of two or more different shots to replicate drills or more game like situations rather than the single shot continual flight trajectory which rarely happens in a game that would be brilliant. It would also mean it would be more of an aid to coaches so we can see where our players are going wrong without having to hit the shuttles as well.
     
  11. timeless

    timeless Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2002
    Messages:
    916
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Comp. Eng.
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    To handle the problem of the one-shot wonder that Dill has outlined, having the machine made in the form of a robotic cannon of sorts would solve that problem. Perhaps having the feeder computer controlled, so that the feeder could accept both preset, and customized feeding patterns. The feeder could then dynamically fire shuttles all over the court if necessary, simulating the most difficult of full-court drills.

    Also, in order to be able to perform all shots, the feeder would have to be able to control it's feeding speed and arc very accurately. Ranging from all speeds from smashes to short serves, and delicate net shots. And speaking of net shots, if the feeder could some how simulate the tumble, and spins, of net play it would be awesome. Perhaps something as simple as a small notch popping up into the feeding tube as shuttles fired might induce a tumble, and/or sideways spin to include netshots into it's array of shots.

    It would also be nice to have the machine modular. In other words, separate components can be added or taken away to increase or decrease it's functionality. Thus people who only need it for less functionality don't need to purchase the entire set or when going on the road, can leave some unnecessary modules at home.

    Some examples of what could be modular...

    The computer module to auto-control shot variation.
    The "rising platform" to vary the height from which the shuttles are launched (up to 10 feet high if possible if you want to practise defending against jump smashes etc. *LOL*).
    The auto-sorting bin.
    The base launcher itself.
    etc.

    For added realism, the machine should also be powerful enough to fire all of it's backcourt shots truly from the back baseline to the opposing baseline. Having a shuttle fed to you from the net is quite different from having it fed to you from the back line.

    Just my thoughts for "an ultimate" feeding machine.

    BTW, an additional bonus feature could be a radar-gun module? To display the speeds of your hits so you can tell if changes in techniques, equipment, etc. are actually improving your game.
     
  12. Break-My-String

    Break-My-String Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2003
    Messages:
    728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    Better yet, a targeting laser scope to fire (in rapid succession) 100 shuttles in 60seconds to simulate a smashing drill! :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: (just kidding)

    The modular features as Timeless had suggested would be key to the practicality of the device.

    What I might add is having 3 variable barrels to which a coach can randomly or sequentially fire the shuttles for training (I am presuming that the device does not use a single barrel which can fire multi-directional shuttles).

    One major concern is the shuttles themselves.

    If it was the case in which any feather shuttle can be used, how long will it take to adjust the trajectory & accuracy of the shot? What will be the percentage of shuttles that will land in the desired place given the quality of the used shuttles?

    If you were to use specially/proprietary designed shuttles for the launcher, what will be the cost, durability, and likeness compared to feather shuttles.

    If may seem that plastic shuttle may be the optimal choice for the launcher but will coaches/players prefer feather!

    Cheers!
     
  13. Tomsk

    Tomsk Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2002
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    A method of disguising the direction that the shuttle will be launched.

    eg if the machine is launching shuttles for net kills, they need to be a different places at the net and discharged in such a way that the player can't predict where the shuttle will be.
     
  14. goldmedal

    goldmedal Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2004
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    education
    Location:
    inverness
    it all sounds good and well , but you cant beat playing against a live player, and how long would you wait before the shuttles follow each other?
     
  15. Tezta.com

    Tezta.com Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2002
    Messages:
    181
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    I stay at home as much as possible
    Location:
    Hong Kong/USA
  16. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    3,502
    Likes Received:
    26
    Occupation:
    Depot Support Representative
    Location:
    Burnaby, BC, Canada
    You're missing the point of having a shuttle machine here. It's not to beat the thing but rather to refine your shots, improve quickness and footwork.

     
  17. Dill

    Dill Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2003
    Messages:
    1,922
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Lazy git (my coach can verify this)
    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    Think of it more as doing drills with your coach so you refine your technique as Cappy points out.
     
  18. goldmedal

    goldmedal Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2004
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    education
    Location:
    inverness
    drills are good, but simple match experience is better in my view
     
  19. Tomsk

    Tomsk Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2002
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    Drills train your body to produce the shot.
    Match experience trains your mind to pick the best shot.
     
  20. goldmedal

    goldmedal Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2004
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    education
    Location:
    inverness
    a good balance of each is needed
     

Share This Page