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Teddles VR Haptic Rig

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by noorbeast, Sep 18, 2019.

  1. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    My 88yo father, affectionately known as Teddles, is the oldest student pilot in Australia and loves War Thunder.

    I am deeply grateful to @Ville Pesonen for updating War Thunder to include Game Vibe support, and to @yobuddy who extended SimTools Game Vibe to include common flight sources such as flaps, landing gear and guns. Teddles got to test the pre-release War Thunder plugin at Christmas 2018, and was amazed at how effective haptics can be in VR, even without motion. The War Thunder plugin update inspired the new VR Haptics rig for Teddles.

    The criteria for the rig were that it had to be simple to get into and operate.

    The basis of the rig is one of these pretty cheap race style office massage chairs, as they have 8 built in rumble motors: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Compute...005065&hash=item5d8dcd9e40:g:-CMAAOSw6eJdJapz

    An additional 2 rumble motors were added under the pedals.

    The rig itself is pretty simple, the office chair legs simply slip into the pedal base and the slots and shape of the chair legs lock it in place.

    20190602_150123.jpg

    The joystick post pivots and locks to the chair with a simple thumbscrew. Once undone the chair can fully rotate, to make it really easy to get in and out of. I added another thumbscrew to the seat back mount, so it can also fold down, which makes this a simple rig to put away or transport.

    20190602_151142.jpg 20190602_151257.jpg 20190603_152841.jpg

    The throttle stand is square tube and in addition to the throttle mount it also has a Aidata swivel mouse pad, again to make it easy for dad to use in VR: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aidata-...ouse-Pad-De-/233288259879?hash=item3651105927

    The pedals use car seat rails to move fore and aft, with two bolts to adjust the tilt angle.

    The screen mounted wind simulation is handled by 2 X 120mm 7000RPM fans, they push out a surprising amount of air for a cheap system, enough to make Teddles complain about it being too cold to use them in the winter: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-400...tion-Fan-AU-/152944347332?hash=item239c3188c4

    The 3D printed fan shrouds can be found on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2884277

    20190811_230322.jpg

    The rumble motors and wind simulation are both handled by an equally cheap I2C TB6612 Stepper Motor PCA9685 Servo Driver Board Shield, which plugs directly into an Arduino: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/I2C-TB6612-Stepper-Motor-PCA9685-Servo-Driver-Board-Sheld-V2-F-Arduino-Robot-PWM/262691494510?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

    An Aura 50W transducer I had laying around is also used with Game Vibe.

    20190602_151435.jpg

    I have all the parts to add a pneumatic G-Seat, but have not yet had the time to put that together. I will shortly be ordering Teddles a 2080ti, so he can take full advantage of the Pimax, which now has the Deluxe Audio Strap mod.
    • Like Like x 6
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    Last edited: Jan 24, 2021
  2. MarkusB

    MarkusB Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    This is a really nice project, perfectly optimized for simple setup, operation, and getting in and out. :thumbs
    I also like the little space it needs.

    Now I am curious about the pneumatic G-Seat you are planning. Will it be based on such pneumatic bladders that are already in used on some rigs? (I also have one installed at the moment.)
  3. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Yes @MarkusB the pneumatic G-seat will be based on bladders.

    As you note this is a pretty cheap, compact and simple rig for Teddles, or anyone who wants a cost effective and fairly compelling step up from a static rig for VR use.

    Teddles has years of experience with VR and my compact DIY 3DOF motion rig, but did not know that he was the Xmas pre-release War Thunder Game Vibe tester, with the Game Vibe haptics working so well in VR he genuinely thought he experienced motion, even though it was turned off:

    • Like Like x 3
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
  4. Caesardimxes

    Caesardimxes New Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    @noorbeast Bloody hell, if your father is 88 yrs, you must be pushing near 70 yourself :eek:
    • Funny Funny x 1
  5. Paul Shortland

    Paul Shortland Active Member

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    Awesome stuff, I have 10 ish years till retirement and see this as additional gaming time!
  6. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    @noorbeast you've done an excellent gift!! congrats

    @MarkusB : did you post some pictures of your bladder system? I'm struggling a bit with mine (too slow, too low pressure...)
    • Like Like x 1
  7. MarkusB

    MarkusB Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    Hi @RacingMat,
    unfortunately I did not make any pictures or videos of my bladder experiment. It was a simple setup in which the bladders were squeezed by a motor. Getting the air back into the bladders was done by the weight of my body.
    I only used the original tubes, which are rather thin, so that pumping up the bladders needed quite some time. And I had problems with getting everything air tight.
    Now I am back to bowden cable driven paddles.
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  8. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    • Like Like x 1
  9. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Added the DIY Authentikit Spitfire joystick, the recommended springs are very light, especially for roll but I could not find anything better, so for now have used elastic cords to add a bit more resistance.

    I have made a modified mounting post and plate, so it is easy to adjust the angle and detach the Spitfire joystick for Teddles to get in and out.

    I also added a second 50w transducer to the back of the joystick mount post, for a total of 10 rumble motors and 2 x 50w transducers, now driven by a 100w Nobsound amplifier.

    Mount.jpg
    Back.jpg
    Attached.jpg
    • Like Like x 4
    Last edited: May 8, 2021
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Teddles health has been declining so I have moved his rig from upstairs to my office, so it is easier to access.

    A new throttle and trim wheels mount was adapted to the chair itself, a mod of the original Authentikit idea of using monitor mounts for adjustable and swappable controls, also added a bunch of buttons to the trim wheel housing, for easy use in VR, those are hooked up to the Bodnar board that serves the rest of the Authentikit controls.

    I am currently messing around with a Sidewinder 2, as Teddles likes the FFB. Eventually we will mod it for increased FFB, 3D print a new less bulking housing for it, and adapt the Authentikit Spitfire joystick to the Sidewinder base, as lack of ' flight feel' was Teddles only gripe with their excellent DIY 3D printed Spitfire controls.

    TeddlesRig.jpg
  11. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Teddles passed away a few hours ago, and the death of loved ones is always sad.

    But once that eases with time it is the things they loved doing that we remember and celebrate, and Teddles loved flying, IRL and via the thousands of hours he spent using his haptic sim rig.
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  12. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    I'm so sorry for your loss. I remember when my father passed away a few years ago, never a easy time.
  13. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Much appreciated @SeatTime.
  14. cfischer

    cfischer Active Member Gold Contributor

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    Sorry for your loss. Its really cool to read about your efforts to help him do what he loved, all the way till the end.
  15. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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