Looking for feedback on digital reactive targets

Status
Not open for further replies.
Autotargets

Autotargets

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
12
Hey everyone! First post here, and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting this, but I'm looking for feedback on a new target idea.

But first let me introduce myself. My name is Chip, and I've been a supporter of gun rights my whole life. Some of you may know me from other forums under the name "bac0nfat." I'm a hardcore gun nut, and I like to tinker with guns and anything mechanical.

A few years ago I got together with a few friends and we started experimenting with reactive target systems. At first we were just doing it for ourselves, but as time went on we got more serious and decided to try and go to market with our idea. We came up with a special target that electrically senses bullet hits, and interfaces with an Android tablet or phone.

Here is our website: www.autotargets.com

And here is a video of us testing the system:




So, what do you guys think, do we have something here? Is this something you would enjoy shooting at? Any suggestions, criticisms, concerns?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Not sure if you're breaking the rules, either, but one comment: The video doesn't make it clear what the link to the tablet is actually doing. If it's showing your hits on the target, then the target on the screen in the video seems too tiny to show that. A big chunk of the middle of the video shows the shooter knocking down the targets, but no tablet interface. Maybe some captions to explain what's being demonstrated would be good.
 
yeah, it's not clear what mechanism is used to sense the hit and what is being reported. or why the targets were going up and down
 
Thanks, the video was just a test shoot, so we didn't put much effort into explaining the system or properly demonstrating it. We are going to be releasing more videos soon that will explain all of that.

You can read all about how it works here:

http://www.autotargets.com/autotargets-system/

Basically, it uses a special target that makes an electrical connection with the bullet. Each target has multiple zones, and the app displays which zone was hit. The app in the video was an earlier generation, so it's not displaying as well as it does now, but you will be able to see how many hits have accrued in each zone of the target, and you can have multiple targets on the screen.

The targets fall based on whatever hit requirement you have set. So you could make it fall anytime it gets hit, or you could require two body shots and one head shot. Or any other combination like that.

We are adding a zoom feature to the app screen, so that could help you see what's going on better, but it's not really intended for the shooter to be looking at the app while he's shooting. The shooter will know he hit the target based on the the fact that the target fell, and also you can make the app say "HIT!" or make a "ping!" sound for each hit, and/or vibrate. So you could connect an Android phone to a pair of electronic earmuffs and put the phone in your pocket while you shoot.

Are there any particular features you would want to see in a product like this?
 
Here is a better screenshot of the app:

Screenshot_2015-05-29-03-19-09-e1433478903694.png


As you can see, it displays whether the target is up or down, and how many shots have accrued in each zone of each target.

It also displays the battery life, and the distance to each target.

Also you can drag and drop the targets on the screen, so they correspond to where your targets and physically located.

Keep in mind, that picture shows the app in early stages of development, and it will only get better. We have an awesome software developer on our team. If you have any suggestions for the app, just let me know and I'll make it happen.
 
Thanks for the kind words!

The auto-reset steel poppers look like fun, but they can't "surprise" you like our system does. It just comes back up every time you shoot it. Our system can be set to "random" so you don't know which target will pop up, or when.
 
Do you have to program an engagement sequence in advance or can an RO control the targets from the app?

Does the system generate it's own wifi or do you have to use your phone or tablet as a hotspot?
 
You can use it in manual mode if you someone to manually toggle each target up and down. Or you can program a scenario that will make them pop up at specific times, or at random intervals.

We have a full-time software developer on our team, so if you have a specific request for a feature on the app, let me know and I will forward it to him!
 
I would think this would be valuable for many of the shooting competitions, which often require a certain number of hits in certain areas to clear the target. This would offer instant feedback for the shooter or the RO. While the competition is steel, I could see how this might offer some advantages over the durability and safety of steel. Good luck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Reactive Targets
Replies
1
Views
395
AZTOY
A
MatthewVanitas
  • Locked
Reactive targets for indoor 15m rimfire range?
Replies
8
Views
719
mete
M
G
  • Locked
The SAF Personal Firearm Defense DVD series - feedback, comments, questions
Replies
17
Views
2K
Rob Pincus
R
C
  • Locked
What Would You Look For In A Target?
2
Replies
26
Views
1K
mitchshrader
M
1
  • Locked
Looking for feedback.
2
Replies
31
Views
1K
Quartus
Q
Back
Top