Introducing the PongFox wireless SmartPad

As a player, the tools you use should always be improving; while a lot of our users are happy to train with the robot, we felt like there was something missing. One of the most important aspects of table tennis is the service and playing out the point. If a service is missed then a point is just given away for free to your opponent. But there is no way to practice this sequence by yourself, you always have to depend on a partner. This is where we introduce the smart pad.

You can set up the wireless smart pad anywhere on the table and program it to return the third , fifth or even seventh rally as to what you would like to simulate and whether or not it is at a single location or a randomized location. Blue lights appear on the smart pad and you can serve onto the pad and prepare yourself to play the rally as you wish it to be simulated. You can also set it up in a way such that you only want to play the third rally before you stop.

The wireless smart pad allows for many different play styles and drills unable to be done by any other table tennis robots in history.

An example of this would be the consistency tracker. You place the pad on any part of the table, and run a drill to one location. Your target is to aim for the pad, and at the end of the drill you get feedback on the amount of balls that you have successfully landed on the pad. This is an objective and interactive method of tracking your consistency and gives you feedback on how well you are progressing in terms of your consistency.

Another use is a game to add more fun to your drills. When you enable (this mode) and request a return, the robot throws balls and you have to aim it onto the pad. If you hit the pad it keeps throwing the ball till you miss before it goes to the next round. At the end you get a count of how many you are able to land continuously on the pad. This is a fun and challenging game that can give you a sense of your accuracy under pressure.

Really, the opportunities are endless if you’re creative enough. This design allows for realistic simulation of a real game without the need for a partner, thus allowing you to practice your skills consistently, even when you’re alone.