The 2010 Challenge - The Spring Ping Fling Thing
or
How many ping pong balls can be caught in a container?

Your machine is to launch (throw, project, toss, chuck, fling, hurl, serve) a series of standard ping pong balls (a limit of 12 may be used) at a target container which has a volume of no more than 70 cubic inches. The launch point of the ping pong balls may be no closer than 2.0 feet away from the target container and the launch point must be below the top of the container. Any ball that is clearly "in" the container, even if it protrudes through the container's opening, will be counted.

Addendums:

  1. Any launched PPB not staying in the target container may be relaunched by the machine provided there is no human interference in returning the PPB to the launcher.
  2. The scoring sheet will take into account the number of PPB held in the container.
    • One point for the first ball and one point for each pair after the first for a total of 6 points maximum.
    • These points will be part of lines 1b and 1c on the scoring sheet.
  3. The team's presentation to the judges must include an explanation of how the container's volume is determined.

This challenge is a modification of one of the suggestions sent in by Scott Robertson.