Electromechanical “running of the bulls” game

Fun & Games
Electromechanical “running of the bulls” game
runningofthebulls1.jpg
runningofthebulls2.jpg

Found in the MAKE Flickr pool:

This electromechanical game, created by Greg Borenstein and Scott Wayne Indiana, is based on the (in)famous Running of the Bulls event held annually in the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona, Spain (and other places).

The linear motion of the bulls is powered by a stepper motor pulling a six foot long timing belt. That belt moves a car made of pulleys and shafts that rides on two tracks built out of 1/2″ metal pipe. That motion will pull the bulls towards the player avatar. Simultaneously, the bulls will move side-to-side via servos attached to Scotch Yoke mechanisms and running a simple simulation of the logic of a stampeding bull (if you get too close to a wall or another bull, reverse course). The player will control his avatar via a joystick which will turn a servo to move their avatar from side-to-side to dodge out of the way of the bulls. There will be a small CCTV camera installed behind the player’s avatar hooked up to a the screen on which the player watches the game. If any of the bulls collide with the avatar, the player loses. If all the bulls pass without a collision, the player wins.

(Notice how the bulls are mounted on Scotch yokes? Leet!_ See the Flickr set for more views.

UPDATE: Scott wrote in with a video, which I’ve added above.

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My interests include writing, electronics, RPGs, scifi, hackers & hackerspaces, 3D printing, building sets & toys. @johnbaichtal nerdage.net

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