Have You Seen This? How to get a bullseye every time

(Mark Rober, YouTube)


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THE WINNER’S CIRCLE — One can be good at throwing things and bad at throwing darts.

On a scale from standard softball to Frisbee, I’d say my ability to throw darts is squarely in the respectable — albeit erratic — middle zone. My clusters are never uniform, and I’m equally as likely to hit a near-bullseye as I am to put a hole in some Sheetrock. OK, OK. It definitely skews toward the latter.

Fortunately, much to the delight of gamers everywhere, former NASA engineer Mark Rober has invented the kind of dartboard that leaves everyone a winner. One that auto-centers while the dart is mid-flight.

After three years developing the dartboard, Mark Rober shows in a recent YouTube video what it takes to put an errantly thrown dart into the dead center of a target in just half a second.

First, the darts are dotted with retroreflectors, which six Vicon motion capture cameras track as the dark flies through the air on its parabolic arc. It takes 200 milliseconds for the system to predict where the dart is going to land (using a bunch of math you never thought you’d need to use again, and then some) and another 200 milliseconds to move the board to that spot. The motion capture system uses a 4K resolution picture that takes 266 images per second, infrared LEDs that communicate that image, and the sliding system on the wall — operated by six individual motors — to slide the board into place.

Again, all in less than half a second.

“When I get an idea like this, I can’t not do it,” Rober said in the video. “Even if it takes three years and is a terrible financial decision.”

Yesterday's Have You Seen This?

They even tested the system out in the wild, to the pleasant surprise of more than one less-than-sober dart thrower. Can’t get much more proof of it working than that.

By the way, Mark Rober has brought Have You Seen This? a couple of great videos, including his giant NERF gun and the ultimate snowball weapon, preferably to be used against nieces and nephews.


![John Clyde](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2600/260098/26009899\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Angie Treasure \--------------------------------

Angie Treasure is the former KSL.com Audience Development Manager and Entertainment editor. She loves to write, binge on Netflix content and go to Jazz games. Follow her on twitter: @snark_tank.

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