FEEL-VR - universal, affordable for home use motion sim

[Den Krutko]

Hi everyone!

I've started to develop universal motion simulator & gaming chair cause I couldn't find suitable solution for myself.

Primarily it's because of high price or insufficient characteristics of existing devices.

Project codename B) is 'FEEL-VR' and it is a 2 degrees of freedom seat for gamer that will change pitch and roll to use gravity force and make player feel accelerations, vibrations and angular velocities taken from virtual reality simulation games.

Hope I'll be able to reproduce device to make it available for everyone else, who dreams of affordable yet professional home motion sim, like me)

My main goals are:

• to make it cost less 2500$

• silent operation

• high performance and tilt angles

• highly ergonomical and configurable for racing/flight/etc simulators

• support for mainstream gaming manipulators

• support for VR headsets

• make it look amazing)


That's how it would look:

Hope you like the project so far.

I'll try to post weekly updates on how the work goes on.

Would be glad to see feedback and suggestions.

 

[Fanapryde]

If I may: I would absolutely get rid of that center post.
I know some manufacturers use it too (my first rig had one and that was the main reason why I got rid of it). It is always in the way and I believe it would be impossible to get it strong and stable enough in your design.
Just my2cts.

 

[Mayaman]

Agreed, any center post design would need the post way back further so it wouldn't interfere with your feet or your knees. Center posts are not a big deal, *not ideal*, but not a big deal is much further back. It does however make getting in and out more difficult.

 

[LeMansAid]

It's not so much the existence of a centre post, but the sole reliance on it that concerns me. The fact that you've got a centre post extending from effectively another centre post is all the more a worry. You'll need some mighty materials to make it sturdy.

The protruding concept has been used by Force Dynamics.......


.... but they're using a lot more than a humble centre post.

How 'bout that simulator though? Here's an onboard vid running Assetto.

 

[Nick Moxley]

If you want some Experienced Advice, I suggest heading over here.

http://www.xsimulator.net/community/

We've all Built our rigs from scratch and know the limitation's of the gear and $$ of said gear.


ForceDynamincs, umm ya no thanks.

 

[Fanapryde]

ForceDynamincs, umm ya no thanks.

+1
If i want a look around my room, I would rather turn my head...

 

[Nick Moxley]

Not to mention those HUGE movement's are NOT what Tricks the brain into the Immersion we are after. If anything it actually breaks it.

 

[Den Krutko]

Agreed, any center post design would need the post way back further so it wouldn't interfere with your feet or your knees. Center posts are not a big deal, *not ideal*, but not a big deal is much further back. It does however make getting in and out more difficult.

I've thought of potential problems concerning central post, and made a thoughtful decision to make it like on a sketch. It will use 40mm stainless steel tube so it's pretty firm, it won't rotate cause tube will be bended and have a knob to fix it. And another reason of one central tube is it's lighter and looks better for me. Also it's load is not that much cause I'm not going to mount monitor on it cause it's primarily intended for use with VR headsets like oculus rift.

 

[Den Krutko]

These are central table, side stand and foot stand parts.

They have screw holes to mount such devices:

Fanatec wheels:
• ClubSport Wheel Base
• Porsche 911 GT2 Wheel / Forza Motorsport CSR Wheel / Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 Wheel

Fanatec pedals:
• ClubSport Pedals V1 / V2
• CSR Elite Pedals / CSR Pedals

Fanatec shifters:
• ClubSport Shifter

Logitech wheels, pedals and shifters:
• G27 Racing Wheel / G25 Racing Wheel

Thrustmaster wheels and pedals:
• T500RS (vertical/horizontal pedals mount)

Saitek pedals:
• Pro Flight Rudder Pedals

 

[Nick Moxley]

I've thought of potential problems concerning central post, and made a thoughtful decision to make it like on a sketch. It will use 40mm stainless steel tube so it's pretty firm, it won't rotate cause tube will be bended and have a knob to fix it. And another reason of one central tube is it's lighter and looks better for me. Also it's load is not that much cause I'm not going to mount monitor on it cause it's primarily intended for use with VR headsets like oculus rift.

Clubsport gear is NOT light by any stretch.

PM to ya

 

[Den Krutko]

Clubsport gear is NOT light by any stretch.

Neither are human legs ) But I'll use strength of materials calculations to make it firm enough.

 

[fatkrakr]

I used a center post rig for years and the only real issue is entering and exiting the rig. A seat slider is a must with a center post design. Stability wise it can be as sturdy as any other rig if designed right. Same with the center bar interfering with the pedals, just needs proper design and adjustability.

 

[Den Krutko]

To enter and exit, you'll be able to push central bar so change pitch to make central bar step-over height minimal.

 

[Mayaman]

Yeah like I said, center post is fine as long as its far back enough to not impede pedal play. Looks like you understand with the pivoting arm.

 

[lemansfanatic]

Force Dynamics would most likely be a much choice when using VR googles to block out your peripherals

 

[Den Krutko]

This is a FEEL-VR seat base with table and foot stand.

It is collapsible to take less space.

Central tube is firmly fixed with knob from rotational and linear movements.

Table is detachable for flight-sim configurations of FEEL-VR.

Angle of foot stand can be smoothly adjusted.

Distance from seat base to foot stand can be smoothly adjusted too up to full collapsed state (to take less space when FEEL-VR is not in use).

 

[Mayaman]

Hmmm Looks good but I don't think you're understanding. The pivot for the pedal deck seems to be way to close to the center car. It looks like the center bar will be by your ankles instead of your knees or even further back. Hope I am making sense. At least to my eye this is what I see.

 

[Nick Moxley]

How are you planning on making the Seat itself adjustable for proper balance ? You do realize you cant adjust all the peripherals without adjusting the pivot point right ?

 

[fatkrakr]

Hmmm Looks good but I don't think you're understanding. The pivot for the pedal deck seems to be way to close to the center car. It looks like the center bar with be by your ankles instead of your knees or even further back. Hope I am making sense. At least to my eye this is what I see.

Agreed, the center post will interfere with using the pedals. It needs to be closer to where the seat is.

 

[Den Krutko]

I've tested pedals with mop as central post) And brake is reachable ok. As last resort I'll change design if it would really be a problem after prototype testing.
Concerning balance adjustment, it will be adjusted out of the box, and misalignments will not affect performance cause I'll use 1000W motors, so have power reserve for misalignment compensations.

 

[Den Krutko]

This is a FEEL-VR assembled top part in different configurations.

Angles and height of central and side tables (stands) can be smoothly adjusted.

Whole side table stands (including tube) can be adjusted forward-backward.

 

[Den Krutko]

This is a FEEL-VR assembled bottom stand and servo part.

Now have only to connect top and bottom) And make drawings for production. And develop electronics and software)

 

[Den Krutko]

So that's how the final FEEL-VR device would look.

Or at least first prototype.

Maximal theoretical pitch and roll angles are about +/- 24 degrees if driven separately.

Simultaneously max pitch and roll are about +/- 12 degrees.

 

[Den Krutko]

Have got sheet metal parts done.

Now developing electronics for servo torque motor.

 

[Punknoodle]

Looking very interesting.

Not sure if you have given it much thought yet but you will want to do a fairly comprehensive risk assessment on this once you develop a working prototype. Identify things like pinch points, impact points, the risk of falling etc. As a manufacturer whatever you sell has to be safe and you have to prove that you have safe systems in place because if something happens and someone gets injured using one of these seats at home you could be at the receiving end of a law suit. Having a risk assessment and implementing safe guards for the risks is vital. For instance you may need an emergency stop on the seat, as well as harnesses etc.

Also because it has electrical components and you need to connect it to mains power, you are going to need to get it complied in the relevant areas it will be sold to ensure all your earthing, noise suppression etc is compliant.

Just an observation from an electrical engineering stand point

 

[Mayaman]

Still not thrilled by the center post position but the flight simulator position is perfect.

 

[Mayaman]

Not to mention those HUGE movement's are NOT what Tricks the brain into the Immersion we are after. If anything it actually breaks it.

If this were for VR it wouldn't break it. What breaks immersion in this rig is those monitors. In a VR environment this simulator would be unbelievable.

 

[Nick Moxley]

If this were for VR it wouldn't break it. What breaks immersion in this rig is those monitors. In a VR environment this simulator would be unbelievable.

Not according to our motion/VR testers.

 

[Mayaman]

Maybe your testers need to go back to VR school.

The fact you can see the environment, monitors, surroundings in general really hinder that simulator.

VR removes those distractions

 

[Nick Moxley]

The fact you can see the environment, monitors, surroundings in general really hinder that simulator.

VR removes those distractions

Correct and i never disagreed with that.....So my point still stands, HUGE sloshy movements Break the immersion and actually add to the potential for motion sickness due to the forces not "working together" with the mental picture your brain is working with.




PS why the comment 2 month's down the road ?