Forum Discussion
Ground Immersion System by PlasmaQuark
This is not my project, but I saw it posted on Reddit and felt it warranted a discussion here.
Link to Reddit Post
Demo with Hawken
This seems like the next evolutionary step past the Wii Balance Board. Simulating a rumble in the feet for footsteps is an interesting concept as well! With some refinement, I think it could be a good solution for seated or standing. Here were some of my suggestions:
We also talked a bit about using it while standing. He thought maybe a high chair/saddle might do the trick. My suggestion (which is probably more complicated than it should be):
Anyway, I'll link the guy to this thread and see if he can explain his project a bit more. I just didn't want it to get buried on Reddit because I felt it warranted a longer discussion!
Link to Reddit Post
Demo with Hawken
This seems like the next evolutionary step past the Wii Balance Board. Simulating a rumble in the feet for footsteps is an interesting concept as well! With some refinement, I think it could be a good solution for seated or standing. Here were some of my suggestions:
"Me" wrote:
Have you given thought about how to use this for rotation? I assume currently you still have to use an analog stick to rotate. If you can solve that, then you've eliminated the need for a stick altogether. My suggestion is if you push only one foot back, you rotate in that direction. Ideally it would work best if you push one foot back and the other forward, but your current design doesn't allow for it.
You're smart to focus on a seated experience, and you should nail that down first. Have you given thought, however, as to how this could work in a standing position? FPS's are more immersive when standing, and since your device is geared towards a first person walking experience, it might be worth looking into.
Again, you're smart to design this as a "tank mode" at the moment. It will keep the user facing towards the positional tracking. I imagine Oculus will one day focus on 360 degree gaming, and this type of system would be interesting to see with 360 degrees in mind. I've always thought of a larger board where you basically step/lean in the direction you want to move while rotation would simply be controlled by which way you're facing at the time (so cardinal directions would be tied together, essentially). Again, just food for thought!
We also talked a bit about using it while standing. He thought maybe a high chair/saddle might do the trick. My suggestion (which is probably more complicated than it should be):
"Me" wrote:
As for standing, you're right that the height is the most important aspect, and so a high stool or saddle could work with this device and prevent having to come up with a whole harness system.
This actually gives me an idea for 360 degrees of movement down the road. If you were able to implement rotation into the feet, performing the rotation combo (like the left back, right forward suggestion) would actually mechanically rotate the high chair so that you would actually be rotating. Rotation in game would simply be accomplished by tracking the Rift as you rotate in RL. Having a mechanically rotating chair would probably be tricky, and speed would probably be an issue, but it does solve a few problems at the same time. Crouching and jumping would need to be looked at, but honestly, no one is really going to want to physically crouch and jump. I don't have the back for that kinda stuff!
Anyway, I'll link the guy to this thread and see if he can explain his project a bit more. I just didn't want it to get buried on Reddit because I felt it warranted a longer discussion!
14 Replies
- Isn't Hawken is supposed to be controller with aircraft setup i.e. aircraft stick and aircraft pedals?
- Hi Tbone thanks for the post on my behalf much appreciated.
Well what I'm basically trying to create at this moment is a system which can mimic the feeling of walking but still using a standard control pad while sitting.
Here are some of my design goals
1- Create tactile feedback for left and right (feet) into the board.
2- A low profile platform with a X and Y powered axis movement which will create locomotive feedback
So here's the basic concept.
I have a rift on my head a controller in my hands and a low profile X Y platform placed under my feet.
Now try to picture this, say I'm playing Half Life 2 on the rift, so I decide to move my character forward in the game; I push forward on the left analog stick which sends a signal to my X Y platform to move in the exact opposite direction to where I'm pushing on the stick thus creating a feeling of forward momentum. This forward momentum only lasts for a brief moment before the tactile feedback kicks in creating the illusion of you taking forward steps.
If you do not follow me so far please let me know. - So you aren't using it for a control method? In the video are you leaning your feet to control the movement or is the disc shifting your feet in response to an analog stick?
- Yes that is correct. Think of it like a Stuart platform. In the videos which I've shown so far are just part of me testing out control using a balance board. It works real well but its not what I'm trying to achieve right now. I'll give you a little clue have you eard of a balance bot which balances on a ball. Youtube it and you will get what I'm headin towards.
- Hi T.bone
I'm in the middle of getting a concept drawing of the G.I.S sorted with my Artist, Plus I'm very lucky to have a C.A.D engineer at my service for a 3D model of the new board, will keep you posted when the time comes. "PlasmaQuark" wrote:
Yes that is correct. Think of it like a Stuart platform. In the videos which I've shown so far are just part of me testing out control using a balance board. It works real well but its not what I'm trying to achieve right now. I'll give you a little clue have you eard of a balance bot which balances on a ball. Youtube it and you will get what I'm headin towards.
Like this?- Thats correct fella. The system will be a lot simpler than that of course. Input from left analog stick will control the three motors for your x y axis using a auduno dev board with a breakout board. I'm using motors from my old haptic falcon controller which should be efficient enough for the board movement. I ve weighed my legs in the sitting down position and in a relaxed state they weigh 20kg.
- Hmm, interesting. I wonder how well that can actually trick your brain into simulating the movement? I highly recommend incorporating balance board movement into it, as I actually think THAT'S what most people would be expecting and willing to pay for. Eliminating the left stick is the holy grail of VR locomotion at the moment, and I'd love for someone to find a way to do it that doesn't involve a playpen and a harness!
- who knows how well this will trick your mind but its worth a try! Looking at having three modes balance control mode, stick control mode and ride mode.
I've also been toying with another idea to do with adding extra presence within a virtual word, this would incorporate a mic to read your breath so when you walk from a warm environment into a cold environment you can see your breath exhaling from your avatar and I just wonder what effect that would have on your brain. I would love to see one of the dev's on this site have a go at a demo for this. picture something like a space shooter where you've been hit and your bio system fails and you slowly start to see your own breath on your vizier as the temp drops in the cockpit. This could be implemented in so many ways and would be quite simple for a Dev.
I posted this idea on reddit two weeks back and had quite a good response. - This is looking good. I like what you have in mind! Are you thinking of having some rumble feature? Thought I saw that in there, that would be really nice! One thing that really sucks is running into wall or obstacle, that is outside of FoV and you come to a rather sudden stop. Having a slight rumble that fired off from the direction of the obstacle would help solve that immersion breaking little annoyance.
