Automatic Bullseye, MOVING Dartboard

Content Breakdown · 7 Categories

Strong & Crude LanguageNot present

The transcript contains virtually no strong or crude language; the only mildly informal expression is 'freaking' used once as a mild intensifier.

See evidence (1)

“'over three freaking years' — mild intensifier, not profanity”

Realistic Violence, Threats & WeaponsNot present

Darts are used as the central prop, but entirely in the context of a recreational bar game and engineering demonstration — no threats, harm, or weapon-framing are present.

See evidence (1)

“Darts thrown at a dartboard in a bar setting — standard recreational use”

Substance Use & Sports BettingA little

Alcohol is briefly and casually referenced in the context of a bar setting ('if you're really drunk, you get so pumped'), but it is not glorified, promoted, or presented as appealing to young viewers — it is a passing observational remark.

See evidence (1)

“'In general, we found if you're really drunk, you get so pumped at your new abilities'”

Hidden Advertising & Sponsored ContentA little

The Vicon motion capture system and NVIDIA TX1 board are mentioned by name, but purely in a technical/explanatory context as components used in the build — there is no promotional framing, undisclosed sponsorship language, or commercial pitch.

See evidence (2)

“'the Vicon system was just turnkey' — descriptive, not promotional”

“'one of these awesome NVIDIA TX1 boards' — mild positive framing but in engineering context”

Parasocial & Emotional ManipulationNot present

The creator uses enthusiastic, personable language ('Super pumped to finally share it with all y'all') but this is standard creator communication without guilt-tripping, manufactured drama, or emotional dependency tactics.

See evidence (1)

“'Super pumped to finally share it with all y'all' — friendly but not manipulative”

Toxic Behavior ModelingNot present

The 'miss every time' dart (which moves the board away) could be seen as a mild prank setup, but it is demonstrated in a lighthearted, consensual bar context with no harm or cruelty involved.

See evidence (1)

“The 'worst dart player' dart moves the board away — playful trick, not harmful”

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

Darts are thrown throughout the video as part of a recreational game — this constitutes very mild playful activity with no realistic harm framing. The 'worst dart player' mode that moves the board away is a lighthearted trick.

See evidence (2)

“Darts thrown at a moving dartboard throughout the demonstration”

“'it makes you the world's worst dart player, 'cause it calculates the initial trajectory and then moves the board in the exact opposite direction'”

What Parents Need to Know

This video follows a former NASA engineer and his colleague as they build an automatic moving dartboard that always hits a bullseye, a project three years in the making. It's rich with educational content — covering motion capture technology, parabolic trajectories, linear equations (y=mx+b), stepper motors, Arduino programming, and engineering problem-solving — all explained in a fun, approachable way. The main things parents should note are a brief bar scene where adults are shown drinking and one person jokes about being drunk, plus a single use of the word 'freaking.' Darts are used as intended sporting equipment and pose no concern. There is no advertising or sponsored content. Overall, this is a high-quality, inspiring video that models persistence (a 3-year build!), collaboration, and applied science thinking.

Talk to Your Kids About

1The creator says he's 'bad at darts but good at engineering' — what do you think that means, and can you think of a problem you'd like to solve with engineering?
2The video mentions parabolas and y=mx+b — have you learned about those in school? How cool is it that real engineers use that math to build things?
3It took three years and a lot of failed attempts to finish this project. How do you think they stayed motivated, and what would you do if a project kept not working?
4Why do you think the video ends at a bar? What did you notice about how the adults were acting, and how did that make you feel about the setting?

What's This Video About?

I have been working on this board for over 3 years. Super pumped to finally share it with all y'all. Here is a link to some of the software we wrote: https://www.dropbox.com/s/rlmhdjoqzyumme1/darts.zip?dl=0 MUSIC- 0:08- I'm so- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 0:37- Cereal Killa- Blue Wednesday - https://soundcloud.com/bluewednesday/ 3:49- Berlin- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 5:41- Special song written just fo my bad self- Lincoln Hoppe, http://lincolnhoppe.com/ 6:26- Too Happy to be cool by Notebreak- https://soundcloud.com/notebreak/dubstep-too-happy-to-be-cool Summary: I fulfilled a 3 year long dream to create a dartboard where you get a bullseye every time thanks to some engineering. Basically, you throw a dart and then a Vicon motion capture system tracks the dart in the air. We use those x,y,z positions in matlab to predict where the dart will land using some regression analysis. Once we know where it will land, we move the board to the right spot using 6 stepper motors that attach to the back of the board using fishing line. All of this happens in 400ms or so. Then we took it to a bar to see what people would think of it (SPOILER ALERT: they liked it) PLEASE CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-Sub **************************************** I make videos like this once a month all year long while supplies last: CHECK OUT MY CHANNEL: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-YouTube FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRoberYouTube TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkRober INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/markrober/

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this video appropriate for?

We recommend this video for ages 10 and up. The engineering and math concepts are most engaging for tweens and teens, and there is a brief bar scene with references to alcohol that makes it less suitable for younger children.

Is there any inappropriate language in this video?

There is one use of the word 'freaking' and a casual joke about being drunk at a bar. Otherwise the language is clean and family-friendly throughout the video.

Does the video show dangerous or violent content?

No. Darts are used as a standard sporting item in their intended context, and there is no violence, threats, or dangerous behavior depicted at any point.

Is this video educational?

Yes, it's highly educational. It covers real STEM concepts including parabolic motion, linear equations, motion capture technology, Arduino programming, stepper motors, and iterative engineering design — all explained clearly and enthusiastically.

Is there any alcohol or drug content parents should know about?

The video includes a segment filmed at a bar where adults are shown drinking, and one person jokes about being drunk and suddenly being good at darts. It's brief and not glorified, but parents of younger children may want to discuss it.

Is this video trying to sell anything to my child?

No. There are no sponsored segments, product promotions, or calls to purchase anything in this video. It is a straightforward engineering project showcase.

Automatic Bullseye, MOVING Dartboard

Content Breakdown · 7 Categories

What Parents Need to Know

Talk to Your Kids About

What's This Video About?

Frequently Asked Questions

More from Mark Rober

What Watchly checks every video for

How Watchly keeps YouTube safe