Episode 603: Create Your Own Air Hockey Table with Arduino Scoring

Tim's already made a machine on zombies so that perhaps leaves you with cookie monsters, or perhaps something to do with rainbows ? Could incorporate a prism and some movable mirrors in there perhaps. Although vending a mini cookie as a prize might be more popular (vending pots of gold would also be popular I suspect but could get rather expensive...) 

There is a second arcade in London so that's two you need to get to

Yeah, I had a few ideas for the blower... hairdryer, hoover, the blower that blows up an air mattress.... but for unknown reasons I was in a rush to finish this project! Probably cause it was sat on my desk for so long. The laser cutter air pump was nearby, and it worked so that's what I went with. 

Love that series. I really need to get to that arcade!

Part of the workout surely!

I'd guess that a hand in front of the goal and other light changes would be more gradual than the puck passing through the goal, so some sort of high pass filter algo would probably improve accuracy

Fun build.

You could probably improve the airflow in the box by simply running a bead of caulk between the inside of the base and the walls and by using some tape over the joins between the curved corners and the walls. As all this is inside the box, it won't be visible from the outside. The top could sit on some sort of a soft gasket if you want it to be removable to access the electronics inside.

By doing so it should allow you to scale down the size of the blower a bit. 

Some of the arcade machines along the lines of those made by Tim Hunkin at the 'Under the Pier Show' could be a fun project.

https://www.underthepier.com/

Whilst we are on the subject, series three of the 'Secret Life of Components' is out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za-GyTt729M

• Pneumatics
• Hole Cutting
• Solenoids and Relays 
• PLCs

For the goal sensor you could perhaps use a vertical piece of laser cut Perspex. Have it tapered from top to bottom so that at the top it starts off at the same width as the goal line and at the bottom it ends up the width of your photosensor.

Additionally if you light the goal line from the underside of the goal arch you may be able to get more consistent light readings irrespective of changes in ambient.

This could be added as a part of a goal backstop to catch the puck.

Could you put some graphics under the top and under-light so it looks like they are below the 'ice' ?