autobowler
a 23-second-per-cycle self-resetting, self-scoring bowling lane built with VEX hardware and embedded C++.
- Autobowler is a 23-second-per-cycle self-resetting, self-scoring bowling lane made with VEX hardware and embedded C++, integrating four motors and four sensors: optical, touch, bumper, and distance.
- We made the entire cycle automatic. Motors, shafts, and strings lift and reset the pins; a distance sensor spinning with a motor counts pins; and an angled track uses gravity to return the ball.
- Sensors control game flow and player feedback, tracking inputs and pin positions while sending game data to a laptop scoreboard and using LEDs to show system status in real time.
- Although the pins were spaced 60° apart, that angle was inconsistent in practice. We iterated on scan angle, motor speed, and timing until reaching 95% scoring accuracy at a 58.5° scan interval.
- Our final three-shaft pin-reset system replaced earlier bottom-mounted strings and a gripper mechanism because it was easier to build, used fewer moving parts, and required less precise alignment.
