Development of an automatic pool trainer
Lars Bo Larsen, Rene B. Jensen, Kasper Løvborg Jensen, S.L. Larsen · 2005
This paper presents the development of an automatic pool trainer (APT). The rationale behind the user interface design is outlined and the system architecture and modules are described. The APT utilises a camera and a projector for visual in-and output to the system. In addition, the user can issue spoken commands to an interface agent acting as a personification of the system. The camera and projector are placed unobtrusively in the ceiling above the pool table and no modifications of the table or other equipment (cues, pool balls, etc.) are required by the system. The camera is used to detect the positions and movements of the pool balls as well as user hand gestures. The projector will display menus, text and graphics directly on the surface of the table. Optionally, the communication can be carried out by speech via the interface agent. Several user tests have shown high degree of user acceptance and that users quickly become familiar with the system and use it as intended. It is discussed how the concept can be extended to other games (or variants) than pool.