The war between man and machine has a new battleground: the foosball table. The first competitive single-player model, built by Bernhard Nebel of the University of Freiburg, Germany, is headed for a sports bar near you. Dubbed Star Kick, the table uses small motors and an infrared camera to automate one side of every match. It even has an edge: reaction time. Humans shoot faster - 12 to 19 mph, versus Star Kick's 7 mph - but our eyes adjust much more slowly, only 10 to 15 frames per second compared with the camera's 50 fps. Plus, Star Kick never grabs the wrong rod. In trials on the hardest settings, the table won 8 out of 10 games. Star Kick sells for about $27,000, but prospective buyers may want to wait for the upgrade. Nebel says the next rev will stop the ball, pass, and adjust to opponents' patterns. Just don't spill your beer on the circuit board.
- Brett Zarda
START
My Summer Home Is an Ice Station
Should I Bank My Baby's Cord Blood?
Table for One
