FetchBot DIY dog-ball launcher

I don't have a dog, which is probably a good thing as I bore terribly easily and playing with it all the time would soon lose its charm.  FetchBot might be one way of alleviating said-boredom (both for me and the pooch): built from the guts of an old AGFA scanner, it fires tennis balls for your dog to catch while sparing your delicate arms.Check out the video demo of the FetchBot after the cut

It's the work of 'Maker Dino', who has kindly put up the schematics so that you can make your own.  Surprisingly, the guts of a scanner are quite impressive: the motor can, with 12v added, apparently pull 10 pounds, which is plenty to ratchet back a slingshot.

Of course, with it being Halloween today there are plenty of other applications for an automatic slingshot.  How about firing red-hot toffee apples at trick or treaters? 

[via Hacked Gadgets]