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By luckiegoclimb
#2749
If you have really energetic dogs at home, but you never have time to play with them, or you're too tired, this is perfect for you. It is a machine that plays fetch with your dog(s). Place it in a corner of your yard, put a time you want it to play, then let it loose. It has 10 tennis balls in a compartment inside it. Inside those balls are powerful magnets that get attracted to the machine when the machine runs out of balls. Like the machines you see in tennis courts, it will throw the balls in many directions at intervals of 20 seconds, plenty of time for your dog to chase them. Then it will neatly pick the balls up, leaving your yard balls-free.

Reward: get it for free, the ability to use it in a science fair without getting sued.
By beach
#3277
I saw something similar to this on TV, but it was manually operated by the dog. He had to retrieve the ball, bring it back to the hole, bounce on the dispenser peddle and the ball flew out again.
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By Michael D. Grissom
#3288
With a magnet THAT powerful I could use the rotation of the earth to create perpetual energy! I would gladly pay one million dollars US for just one of those magnets. Imagine the possibilities!!!

BTW -- I really like the idea of the dog being trained to drop the ball back into the ball hopper. Did they make the machine look like a human and throw the ball with an artificial arm/hand? Does the machine dispense doggy treats based on Pavlov's theory? I would gladly pay an additional one million dollars to see a CAT use it! --just kidding.

One of my inventions from years ago was an automated dog scratchier that would hit that magical spot that causes that autonomic leg cycling response. It would stop only when the dogs leg stopped (totally exhausted). After starting, it might be powered entirely by extracting the energy from the dogs leg movements.

I absolutely LOVE dogs and think any product that enhances their happiness is a great idea!
By tolychok
#7879
The reason a dog likes playing ball with you is because its playing ball with YOU, they would most likely chase a ball from a machine for a while but you would not bond with it.
By Bubbles
#8014
using a magnet that powerful would be very dangerous. anything mattalic would be drawn into it. what if you leave a garden trowel out, which is then drawen into the machine and throwen out again! it could cause serious injurius if it hit some one. and what if your dog is wearing a collar with a metal strap...

there is a device in development where your dog wears a special suit that is wirelessly networked to a small model of a dog. when some one touches the model, the dog feels the same thing in the same place on their body.
By wow
#8047
If you dont have time 4 a dog u shouldnt get 1...
By Rishi
#8051
Michael D. Grissom wrote:With a magnet THAT powerful I could use the rotation of the earth to create perpetual energy! I would gladly pay one million dollars US for just one of those magnets. Imagine the possibilities!!!

BTW -- I really like the idea of the dog being trained to drop the ball back into the ball hopper. Did they make the machine look like a human and throw the ball with an artificial arm/hand? Does the machine dispense doggy treats based on Pavlov's theory? I would gladly pay an additional one million dollars to see a CAT use it! --just kidding.

One of my inventions from years ago was an automated dog scratchier that would hit that magical spot that causes that autonomic leg cycling response. It would stop only when the dogs leg stopped (totally exhausted). After starting, it might be powered entirely by extracting the energy from the dogs leg movements.

I absolutely LOVE dogs and think any product that enhances their happiness is a great idea!
Why not a fishing pole kind of gadget that 'casts' a ball at the end of a string? The dog retrieves it and drops it at the base, which can be anchored in a pair of the master's discarded overshoes. The spool is motorised and pulls up the ball for a next cast.

Cats love to play with balls of string or slowly moving objects. A timer can easily be added to the device which slowly (Enhanced with jerks) pulls the ball back if the ball is left alone for a time without being picked up.

I love playing with the dogs and cats.

rishi
By nudedave
#8521
Done and done.

My Dog ball throwing machine is a two wire machine... Power and ethernet (may work on a wireless version soon). It contains a hopper for balls (3 max) and a hopper for food.

Here are the capabilities:
-Throws tennis balls (up to 30 ft) for the dog based on timer, event, or web page control
-Counts retrieved balls for event trigger (Can trigger any capability)
-Dispences food based on timer, event, or web page control
-Plays audio commands on timer, event, or web page control
-Records user's personal audio commands (4 max) for playback
-Serves the controlling webpage and web cam

The concept behind my dog's ball throwing machine is not to relieve the owner from their relationship with their dog, but to allow the owner to play with their dog from work or while away.

I have thought about releasing my designs through some sort of Open Hardware/Sirmware licence, but I may need to wait untill the next version as many things are not where they should be for public release.
By Stewie123
#8538
beach wrote:I saw something similar to this on TV, but it was manually operated by the dog. He had to retrieve the ball, bring it back to the hole, bounce on the dispenser peddle and the ball flew out again.
yea but you know how long that would take to train your dog on how to do that.
By Stewie123
#8539
my dog doesn't play feetch so if I get somthing like that and it shots out a ball, he will just look at it, sniff it, look at me, and walk away.
By Stewie123
#8540
then you would also make sure that the machine wouldn't shoot a ball at a window or somthing.
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