Students accelerate cubicle arms race with PlayStation Eye-tracked, iPhone-guided coilgun (video)

DIY weaponry gets more lethal with each passing year; where once we were content with a simple foam missile launcher, technology has progressed such that our automated turrets now spew screwdriver bits, airsoft and paintballs. As progress forges ahead, two engineering students at the University of Arkansas have added injury to insult with this four-stage DIY coilgun. Using an Arduino microcontroller to actuate the firing mechanism and steer the monstrous wooden frame, they nimbly control the badass kit with an iDevice over WiFi, and line up targets using a repurposed PlayStation Eye webcam. While we'd of course prefer to have our phone SSH into the gun over 3G, we're not going to argue with success. We'd like to keep our lungs un-perforated, thank you very much. See it in action after the break.

[Techtrino Posted May 19th 2010 7:53AM]

What was the title og that project and which merit did it have?

A DIY killer robot for those Al Qaeda who just think car bombs are for noobs or?

[Joeyjoejoe Shabadoo Posted May 19th 2010 8:03AM]

less QQ moar pewpew :3

[boulabiar Posted May 19th 2010 8:15AM]

I haven't found anything important to cite in this article.

A bunch of crap tech. put all together and that don't do anything.
wifi 3G, PlayStation, iPod, accelerated, ssh Bla bla bla

Really really, what is this article about ??

[thejared Posted May 19th 2010 8:22AM]

@boulabiar It's about building cool shit that shoots people remotely from everyday parts and pieces. I didn't think it was that hard to understand.

[boulabiar Posted May 19th 2010 8:36AM]

@thejared
Ah Ok !
PlayStation (800$)+iPhone(500$) are everyday pieces. I don't know this.
But it's really cool to build things which shoot people remotely...

[MechaPumpkin Posted May 19th 2010 8:47AM]

@boulabiar

Yes, everyday stuff. My guess is these college kids have a cell phone already, probably an iPhone given the demographic. A Playstation Eye does not cost $800 (neither does a Playstation 2 or 3 for that matter).

[SeeKo Posted May 19th 2010 9:04AM]

@boulabiar
Most people who show how to build weapons on the internet would be hunt down by the FBI. For some reason I don't know, these guys get a degree and a complimentary post on a Gadget blog.

[bp968 Posted May 19th 2010 9:42AM]

@SeeKo Seriously? What socialist nuthouse do you live in? First off I never saw this thing doing much more then punching a cardboard box so its more of a eye hazard then anything, second, at least here in the US you can build a gun in your basement perfectly legally and chat about it all day on the internet (heck, check the ATF's site, they explain exactly what you can and can't do, IE, no full auto, etc). I saw a RC helicopter with a glock attached to it on some site somewhere. So I think their safe from the FBI (lol). You should forward this to them anyway just to be sure (and so they'll have a good laugh).

[TickLe MY eLMo Posted May 19th 2010 9:44AM]

@boulabiar

...More like Playstation EYE TOY $30+iPhone $200 on contract which millions upon millions have, I'm pretty sure you could do this from an ipod touch as well. Stop being such a prick, it doesn't make you look cool. To say this isn't even remotely cool is ignorant my horrible english speaking friend.

[manofchao5 Posted May 19th 2010 4:43PM]

@MechaPumpkin
hes just some idiot
ipod touch $200 or iphone on plan already is just $100
ps eye is $40
love when people without knowledge try to show up an entire website

[MechaPumpkin Posted May 19th 2010 8:44AM]

This is pretty cool, but where's the laser pointer to strike fear into those being targetted??

[Brokinarrow Posted May 19th 2010 4:28PM]

@MechaPumpkin - That comes in version 2 :D

[bstear Posted May 21st 2010 8:09AM]

Needs a few sharks with frickin' lasers on their heads

[wsansewjs Posted May 19th 2010 8:47AM]

Mmmmmhhmmm, how spunky that gun is....

[TechGuySteve Posted May 19th 2010 9:20AM]

Is it really necessary to put in annoying ass music with every you tube video people upload? I'd really like to hear what they have to say.

[Nzad Posted May 19th 2010 9:50AM]

LoLing extremely hard at commenters making value judgments about a senior project youtube video

[koehler83 Posted May 19th 2010 9:56AM]

Seems like the image from the camera should be fed to the phone for targeting like a video game.

[Cicadymn Posted May 19th 2010 10:08AM]

Gauss Gun?

I'm one step closer to making my dream of being a real Mechwarrior come true. Now for the PPC cannon and giant robot parts.

[Diko Posted May 19th 2010 12:54PM]

Terminator 5 - THEY HAVE COILGUNS NOW

[7egend Posted May 19th 2010 1:04PM]

It's really meh, considering the size of the wooden box I was expecting a little more power, barely penetrating a cardboard box is hardly what I call a successful demo.

Sure the control is great, but a standard joystiq with a view screen and fire button would have been much better, instead of having to use the iPhone/iPod as the joy, and a laptop for a view screen.

Sure it works, but it's really nothing that hasn't been done before. :( Better luck next time.

[Celanor Posted May 19th 2010 1:06PM]

Now Skynet doesn't even need robots

[ghatid Posted May 19th 2010 2:01PM]

Did they just try to incorporate buying expensive products into the design of their project so that the school would pay for their expensive products?

[ChaosCon Posted May 19th 2010 2:44PM]

I just gotta say - railguns are pretty much my most favorite things *ever*.


Even though a coilgun technically isn't a railgun :(

[Bratyr Posted May 19th 2010 6:29PM]

Perfect for shooting down that iPad controlled blimp!