Pool is a fun game, but with just some coloured balls on a plain green field, the spectacle is a little lacking. We’ve already seen how some clever projection can turn anyone into a pool shark, but now OpenPool is taking it a step further by turning pool into a psychedelic rave of a game.
OpenPool is an opensource project that utilizes two Kinects and a projector to read the locations of your balls and adorn the area around them with wild special effects. Being shown off at SXSW this week, OpenPool is in its early stages, mainly showing off one effect: the pun-tastic underwater look. More effects are bound to come, though. And since it’s an open source project, endeavouring coders can whip up their own.
For the moment, the OpenPool table at SXSW is the only one in existence, but the minds behind it plan on giving one away through a social media contest. All in all, the whole setup should cost roughly 10,000 dollars including the pool table, and if you’re so inclined, you can build one yourself. If you’re not so inclined — and have a ton of money to blow — the company does plan on selling doubtlessly expensive all-in-one units at some point. Until then, you’ll have to use your imagination. To pretend you have a pool table. [OpenPool h/t Engadget]