Perfect Prototype became involved in an unusual project that redefined the sport of arm-wrestling and brought an exciting application of Internet-based haptic technology. Perfect Prototype helped design and implement both the software and mechanicals of the Haptic Arm-Wrestling unit. Sponsored by the New York Hall of Science, these units were placed at a half-dozen science centers across the country. A visitor, for example, to the New York Hall of Science simply sits down at the arm-wrestling unit, takes hold of the mechanical hand, and wrestle friends or strangers at other member museums across the country or virtually across the globe.

Through touch – known as “haptic” — contestants can force their strength and skill against the mechanical arm, which in turn, sends real-time information over the Internet to a matching arm-wrestling device. Opponents respond back and forth while seeing and hearing each other on screen until a winner emerges. A centralized server keeps track of status and location of units, records any errors, and keeps a running total of the statistics between the locations

The Internet Arm Wrestling Challenge exhibit is a collaborative project of the New York Hall of Science, The Tech Museum of San Jose, and Lynch Exhibits. Lynch contracted Perfect Prototype to research, conceptualize, and develop all the software and hardware/software integration aspects of this project, and co-develop the electronics. Perfect Prototype’s Matt Browning is listed as an inventor of the patent-pending interactive.

The Internet Arm Wrestling Machines were initially installed at:

• The New York Hall of Science – Queens, NY
• The Tech Museum of Innovation – San Jose, CA
• The Imaginarium – Anchorage, AK
• The DaVinci Discovery Museum – Bethlehem, PA
• Science Center of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa