Designing, assembling and programming a foosball goalkeeper robot

Whether a machine can beat a human in a specific task is as old as the first machines. Machines have already surpassed humans in many areas, such as calculators, chess, and even driving cars. But what about foosball (table soccer)? This project demonstrates the development of a machine-controlled goalkeeper for foosball, capable of reliably stopping slow balls. While the goalkeeper occasionally struggles with the timing required for fast balls and shooting, the results serve as a proof of concept. The machine uses a camera to monitor the game from below and motors to move the goalkeeper. Although only basic AI was employed, the approach shows promise for extending similar designs to other players on the table. This work highlights the potential of automated systems in fast-paced, real-time scenarios, while acknowledging room for improvement to enhance performance and timing.