So now we have a disc with programmable LEDs which responds, at least in a rudimentary fashion, to its environment.

This is all well and good, but as anyone with much experience throwing a disc can probably attest, the physical end result leaves something to be desired. The electronics will likely survive a casual game of catch, as long as the participants have a light touch and don't pancake the disc too hard, and it looks good in the dark, but we're a long ways from a finished piece of serious athletic gear. The rigors of a real Ultimate game would probably destroy the blinkendisc in a couple of plays.

So where to from here? Well, I have an entire research agenda:

  1. Design and 3D print an enclosure for the electronics that will stand up to mud puddles, random concrete obstacles, actual Ultimate games, and the typical antics of Ultimate players.
  2. Incorporate additional sensor input and some form of wireless communication.
  3. Add more blinkenlights, because life is too short to blink in moderation.
  4. Design an interesting game mechanic that relies on accumulating state on the disc itself.

Stay tuned!

This guide was first published on May 22, 2015. It was last updated on May 22, 2015.

This page (Directions for Further Research) was last updated on May 22, 2015.

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