Beer Launching Fridge

[zook]

Self-explanatory. Watch the video.

www.beerlauncher.com

[swiggidy]

This is Sweet.

Title delivers

[Seasider]

You think its cool, then you SEE the guy use it at the end. I so want one!

[mrhappy333]

I want one too! That thing is awesome!!

[Seasider]

Imagine it's sitting beside the TV during the match. You say nothing to your mates, then 10 minutes in you push the button!

[thenonsequitur]

Have you ever gotten up off the couch to get a beer for the umpteenth time and thought, "What if instead of ME going to get the BEER, the BEER came to ME???" Well, that was how I first conceived of the beer launching fridge.

lol

[bigred]

This is awesome.

[a500lbgorilla]

I have one and it broke when we tried to load it with Natty.

[bigred]

Natty was too good for it?

[jyms]

I want one,but with girls.A girl launching fridge, that throws them in my lap.

[XTR1000]

dude, i miss cans. since we have to pay can deposits, the lovely aluminium disappeared and we´re forced to drink beer from glass and PET bottles. i want my beer cans back. life sucks

[boost]

wait... youre complaining about being 'forced' to drink from a bottle instead of a can?

[euphoricism]

Aiming that must be a pain and take some major getting-used-to. And its got a very limited range. Basically only from the corner to the couch. Which I guess is fine, serves its purpose just about perfectly, but I want more man points.

Trying to think of a better way.. I think I'd use a co2 tank, or maybe an on-board air compressor so that I dont run out of co2 every 5 seconds, and basically make an air cannon, and have the ability to vary the pressure in the barrel in order to vary the power and therefore the distance.

Then you need some accurate way to deduce exactly how much pressure and at what direction to fire.

We need to press a button and have the fridge know our distance from it and what direction to fire. The direction isn't too hard to do -- you could use light .. similar idea to this: http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive..._sunflowe.html

Distance is puzzling me, though. What would you use, sound?

[dsmrolla06]

Distance is puzzling me, though. What would you use, sound?

GPS

[UG]

I have one of these.......



MY WIFE

[UG]

and she's hot too

[euphoricism]

Distance is puzzling me, though. What would you use, sound?

GPS

I was thinking this, but I dont see that being practical. Units available to the public just arent *that* accurate. Theyre expensive too.

[Pay4myCad!!]

Drew and Mike on WRIF interviewed the 'inventor' this morning.
He didn't seem too motivated to start mass-marketing them right now, saying if he made 10-20 they'd start off in the market of 1500 to 1000 bucks.
The conversation started turning sour for the guy after they made a lacrosse team reference and he mentioned he was on Duke's fencing team... They thought that was a bit snobby and started ragging on him without mercy and he ended the interview abruptly with "I've gotta go eat lunch."

I think George's take on the situation is the best, but in the long run the beer launching fridge will be much less expensive.

[euphoricism]

Thought some more about this last night.

Combingin the original idea with mine -- you put a laser pointer on the fridge, aiming outward. you press a few buttons on the remote control, and maneuver the fridges launching mechanism at your chest using the laser to get it spot on.

Ok, that still didnt solve the distance problem... but thats a much easier way to approach the launch direction.

[swiggidy]

uhh, use the laser to measure the distance too

[dsmrolla06]

Air compressor would be cool but how would you keep it from bein so damn loud?

[euphoricism]

uhh, use the laser to measure the distance too

I was thinking this too .. but, uh, can they?

I'm mechanically minded, but have absolutely no skill in doing things. I've got tons of ideas to improve things -- but no idea how to actually DO them.

In other words, I could never build what he built -- but if I COULD build it, It'd be better. Which sounds kind of egotistical.

Shoulda picked a different major, but its a little too late now. If I want to build awesome stuff, I'm going to have to be autodidactic. And wealthy.

[swiggidy]

uhh, use the laser to measure the distance too

I was thinking this too .. but, uh, can they?

Most distance systems are via laser. You pulse modulate (i.e. on-off) the laser and measure the time it takes to return. As far as guaranteeing a good reflection and collecting the reflection, I would have to look into that. I think you could by a commercial range finder and as a side effect it would also provide location.

If I want to build awesome stuff, I'm going to have to be autodidactic. And wealthy.

Does googling this to learn the definition make me one?

[euphoricism]

Air compressor would be cool but how would you keep it from bein so damn loud?

This is a good point.

[euphoricism]

Boom headshot. Using a laser pointer and a camera to get the distance:

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~twd25/w...er_ranger.html

[Pay4myCad!!]

One more adaptation on the laser...
Use it as well to monitor the temp at the bottom of your current can!!
When it reaches an unpalatable temperature (not that that ever happens in my house), or senses that the can is empty (which happens altogether too often in my house), the fridge can sound an incoming bevo alert...
U can then break the plane of the laser 4-12 inches from it's current focus to let it know ur there, (to avoid any mishaps), and it fires off another properly chilled slice of liquid heaven.

[euphoricism]

hahaha youre a true drunk my friend

[swiggidy]

^^ nice

Boom headshot. Using a laser pointer and a camera to get the distance:

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~twd25/w...er_ranger.html

If you need help with the software let me know, this is what I got my Master's in

[euphoricism]

You know, since it'd have a camera and rangefinder, it could probably do all sorts of cool stuff. Like... act like a sentry! If the camera detects movement when the beer launcher isnt "turned on", it shoots out a "FREEZE!" warning and if you move again it peppers you with airsoft pellets ;p

[euphoricism]

I swear I saw a video of someone who made a sentry just like that.. but I cant fnid it. Its ollllddd.

[euphoricism]

ah: http://www.thesentrygun.com/

[dsmrolla06]

So whats the cost estimate on this thing up to now?

[euphoricism]

Pfft. I havent a clue. I wont actually build it -- as I said, I have absofuckinlutely no idea how to actually put the thing together. I just know the theory behind it and how I would LIKE it to operate.

I'd imagine the bulk of the cost would be the fridge -- but I have no idea how much motors and shit cost.