And so it begins.......

ODCSSS 2009 has been running for a week, and now the hard work is about to begin.


My project is entitled: Learn to play like Minesota Fats: augmented
reality in the pool hall, under the supervision of Dr. Lorcan Coyle and is situated in UCD.


I will briefly explain my understanding of the project and what I hope to accomplish:

Pool, snooker or billiards are all quite similar and challenging games with a large amount of factors to be considered and mastered to make a perfect shot - accuracy in hitting the cue ball, force to hit cue ball, best way to hold and use the cue, angle to hit the subject ball at etc......
With the aid of varying amounts of equipment: the pool table (obviously), camera(s), shimmers, projectors, laser(s) (and maybe some more), I aim to really get to grips with the physics of pool. To study the forces and collisions involved using the data took from the camera(s) and shimmers. I will use numerical packages to do my number crunching and develop graphs to filter and accumulate the data. Once I have a clear understanding, this can then be used to determine the best possible shot - and hence be used to educate the player.
With long term use, this should improve the skill of the player.

Initially my priority is not to develop a 3D GUI of the pool hall, but to really understand the shot in question, and using the projector and/or lasers to help the player i.e. follow a line projected onto the table to obtain that perfect shot, or the laser to indicate where they should hit the cue ball etc.


Ideally I hope to develop a good pool tutor that could be used successfully in the real world with minimal technicality.

In general, I look forward to the remaining 11 weeks in the ODCSSS program. I hope to make some great friends, learn and absorb as much knowledge as I can and really get a feel for researching!

Heres hoping it all goes to plan!!!!!