My DIY ODT

If you would like a suggestion for floor tracking you should try to use "Capacitive" sensing if you have not considered it.

This can be accomplished with Copper Tape that has conductive adhesive, I like to use 1/4 - 1/2 inch wide tape. You can lay this on the underside of the floor piece( I am using linoleum), although where you are using an aluminum base you will probably need to insulate well it with a layer of this plastic sheeting.

Combined with some 'Shielded Wire' and 1 Mega-ohm - 10 Mega-ohm resistors, with an Arduino Leonardo, Due, or Micro, (You can also use Teensy).

The traces(Copper Tape) are the sensors(You can Solder right on the copper tape), and the water in your body interrupts the flow of the electricity below your feet. This is a much better explanation, and a great place to start: http://playground.arduino.cc/Main/CapacitiveSensor?from=Main.CapSense .

I like lay the tape out in rings that way you can trigger multiple 'rings', and the direction they are triggered in tells you if the feet are going forward or back, as well as speed. Another layer laid out in unconnected line coming from the center will give sensors that record side to side movement. Check out this:



This is similar to what I mean. One layer of the censor is like the rings in the picture(except I would double up the lines), the other layer is the strait lines, but don't connect them in the center, you'll want to have room for the player to stand.

This is what I was working on anyway for a device where the floor sensor is really the same, but in my device you are sitting on a stool instead of standing, and the spinning stood is for rotation, and I am building a power USB 2.0 Hub into the chair with a nice "Slip Ring" so device can be plugged in and not wireless, and you don't have to worry about tangle's);O) Hope this helps or gives you an idea or two. If you need help shoot me an email or PC here, and I will be glad to assist, as I love VR Input project:O)

~B
Imagn' games

Great idea, if I am not mistaken, with this you will also have independent body orie tation while walking, so you could look around and walk in different directions, if the game allows.

That is correct. let me know how it goes, you engineering skills seems excellent, keep up the good work!

~B

For the OP, if you are looking for a solution of combining the HMD yaw with the direction that you are walking at within the ODT, you can have a look here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBmQaV7EEw
Script (not final) is in the description.

Hi Tova,

This looks awesome! You nailed the hubless wheel support and the adjustable height! Looks like a Cyberith almost. I was wondering, how much did this project cost you in total?

I'd love to work with you on a sensor solution. I'm making StompzVR IMU controllers. They were originally the tracking solution for a similar ODT like you have here. VR locomotion is my passion and I love talking to others who are also passionate about it.

Matt Stompz