County Club Features

"Inspector Gadget" - Sports Gadget Analysis No.2

Robo-Pong Table Tennis Trainer - by PC Jeanette Wilson - Northern Division

The attractive table tennis training partner: Donic ROBO PONG 2040. It can recreate top spin, counter spin, cut, side cut and side spin balls at a speed from 20 to 120km/h.
The catching system ensures continuous use as all balls are caught and sent back to the robot. Simple to assemble and dismantle in only a few minutes. Suitable for balls of 38 and 40mm in diameter. With integrated catching system, total weight only 8kg.

In the age of advancing computer technology it is not surprising that many sports activities are assisted one way or another by devices above and beyond the basic stop watch.

In this issue of “Off-Duty” we look closer at the sport of Table Tennis and the Robo-Pong 2000 automated table tennis robot.

County Club table tennis player, PC Jeanette Wilson from Northern Division purchased her Robo-Pong in February 2006 for her 40^th birthday costing around £500. After six months use Jeanette gives her evaluation of this interesting training gadget…….

I am a very keen table tennis player and have played competitively for many years. However, because of working shifts it is not always easy to get to the training sessions and compete against other players so the Robo-Pong seemed like a great idea.

The device is fitted to the opposite side of the table and can be assembled within three minutes. A net is also fitted to catch the balls. It can recreate top spin, counter spin, cut, side cut and side spin balls at a speed from 20 to 120km/h. The catching system ensures continuous use as all balls are caught and sent back to the robot.

The Robo-Pong will deliver up to 97 balls a minute and in terms of speed you are pushed far harder than playing with an opponent. After thirty minutes you are totally shattered.

If you play well and return the balls correctly then they go into the catch net and the Robo-Pong then ‘recycles’ the balls and delivers them over and over again.

It is simple to assemble and dismantle in only a few minutes. Suitable for balls of 38 and 40mm in diameter and has a total weight only 8kg so it can be taken to and from training locations with ease. I generally have it assembled ready to use at home and its low noise output allows me to practice at any time of the day which is ideal when working shifts.

If I was to be critical I would say that it would be great if the Rob-Pong could change spin and direction automatically - this has to be done manually between sessions - as it would make the play more competitive and push me to my limits even more so.

I would give the Rob-Pong 8/10. There are more expensive models on the market but these have similar features to the 2040 but are made more robustly for continuous use in Table Tennis Clubs.

PC Jeanette Wilson in action in a Table Tennis competition in Jamaica

To find out more about the Robo-Pong Email Jeanette Wilson

More 'Inspector Gadget' features will be added in the coming months.