Root Beer Pong

Bricked a shot so bad you questioned life? Same. So we, The Algorithmic Alcoholics, built the first MATLAB-guided KORAD-powered root beer pong aimbot. No shaky hands. No physics degree. Ball. In. Cup.

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The Algorithmic Alcoholics: Root Beer Pong

Inspiration

What inspired us? Desperation and over-engineering. Originally, we were working on a blackjack dealer robot, but like all true engineers, we abandoned that and pivoted to something far more ridiculous but infinitely cooler—a robotic beer pong sniper.

What it does

Our project calculates the necessary voltage to launch a ping pong ball into a cup with MATLAB-guided, KORAD-powered precision.

  • Users input the distance.
  • The system determines the required voltage.
  • The KORAD lab power supply adjusts the voltage.
  • A geared-up motor launches the ball.
  • Ball. In. Cup.

How we built it

  1. MATLAB Calculations – We used experimental data to map distance to voltage.
  2. KORAD Lab Power Supply – Controlled via MATLAB to deliver precise voltage.
  3. Geared-Up Motor – Spins up and launches the ball with calibrated force.
  4. Lots of Testing – Because physics is hard, and trial-and-error is easier.

Challenges we ran into

  • Time Constraints – We had to pivot quickly and scrap full automation.
  • MATLAB to KORAD Communication – Serial communication wasn’t as easy as we hoped.
  • Motor Consistency – Getting the ball to land where we wanted took tweaking.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • We turned beer pong into an engineering project (and we regret nothing).
  • Successfully controlled a lab power supply with MATLAB to launch a ball.
  • It actually works—our calculations send balls into cups.

What we learned

  • Projectile motion is fun when it’s for beer pong.
  • MATLAB can control power supplies, and it’s both awesome and annoying.
  • Sometimes, overcomplicating a drinking game is the right choice.

What's next for Root Beer Pong

  • More Automation – Automatic distance sensing? AI aim correction? Maybe.
  • Better Accuracy – Fine-tuning for 100% success rate (and total dominance).
  • Tournament Mode – Competitive beer pong meets robotic precision.

One goal: BALL. IN. CUP.

Built With

  • cad
  • matlab
  • mechanicalengineering
  • physics
  • serialcommunication
  • siemens-nx
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