Automatic dice throwing mechanism
Updated: April 10, 2002
The dice were thrown using an automatic mechanism.
The cycle begins when a motor controlled "dice door" is open.
Then a motor powered "sweeper" sweeps the die off the table into
the "casting wheel". The casting wheel is made to turn rapidly
through 180 degrees by a 1/3 horsepower electric motor. When the
casting wheel comes to a stop, the die falls down by gravity into
the "casting chute". This directs it so as to fall onto the table. High
walls made of light plastic force the die to fall within a 10 cm
by 10 cm region of the 30 cm by 30 cm table. Some time is allowed
for the die to finish its bouncing motion. Then a photograph is
taken using a CCD camera looking directly down from above the table.
The entire process can be as fast as two seconds per roll, but in
most cases this does not allow sufficient time for the die to stop
bouncing. In most cases the rolls require four or five seconds each.
To see the outcome of the roll clearly, a light is
provided under the table so that the silhouette of the die can
be seen in the CCD camera.
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