VR + cheap-ass movement detection device Do you think it´s a good idea? Created 5 years ago2019-08-23 14:30:06 UTC by abbadon

I have been seeing a lot of stuff about VR devices, but there´s only two or three companies creating devices to let you "move" while using VR goggles on FPS games, and, if so, they are SO expensive and bulky that are not affordable almost for anyone. I have designed a device and I want you to give me your thoughts about it.

It will use a regular USB connection and will coordinate its movement with the VR device, it will require some real movement for the player, and jumping and strafing will be available, the same goes for crouching and sprinting. I have highlighted some areas, of course all areas will be operative.

Its prize will be the one of a regular keyboard, and it wil lbe not more than 100 dollars, it will be designed so it can be stored and deployed in a few seconds. It will be cheap and be more accesible to people than oter devices more expensive and uncomfortable.

It could be customizable, as keyboards are through a very simple program, the pressure response can be regulated via software.

Well, I think it is. Especially if you wanna feel drunk while playing or something.

The message was uncomplete... don't make fun of me please...

I wasn't making fun out of you. Good lord, people never understand me. <-<

The drunk part was referring to the fact that it's a very cheap system, so perhaps it'd not be very accurate in tracking. Hence you'd feel easily nauseated and drunk. But that's just my assumption until I see more specifications.

Haha, thanks!!! I have a newborn liver on a 6 foot and 225 lb body, I cannot stand a simple beeer without feel dizzy... ^^

The device is nothing but a big touchpad surface with some modifications. As accurate as that!!

Its mechanism is a s imple as:

2 feet on Stand surface = idle
1 feet on Stand 1 on Forward = advance
1 feet on Stand 1 on Backward = step back
1 feet on Stand 1 on Strafe surface = strafe on that direction
Both feet on air (you can configure this part too for long jump) = Jump

Crouch is detected by the 4 corner sensors .

For continuous strafe and aiming to a target (when you do a full circle around an enemy while you fire) you must only keep a feet on the Stand area and put the other feet along the outer circle while you aim to the target using the VR goggles and the stick. In the very moment you pot both feet on the Stand area you finish the strafe movement.

I thought in adding two kind of sticks, one in a shape of a smg and other in the shape of a normal pistol; I have played airsoft for some years and I usually passed from primary to secondary easily in the middle of combat, so I think this part will require some work, unless you use a single device with all functions for changing weapon and other stuff added. Even I designed a throwable device to simulate knives, grenades, and other stuff like that.

I have no idea of electronics apart of building my own PCs and a very little more, but i can define the way it should work.

Yeah, I never drank alcohol myself. :s
About jumping, I'm only afraid that the device would break or something like that. I have that feeling when walking over bridges, lol.

But yeah, it seems pretty cool. I could help you with a part of the electronics since I got a bit of knowledge.

Maybe it´s time to develop a prototype in 3D... I thought about the pressure in the jumping movements, but something similar was done for the dancing games almost a decade ago, so, I think the tecnology is already done for that part.

I know that Dancing Mats are already done, and it´s not a new device, but I have think about it to be a more "wearable" device to be used in 3D sports games, so its quality and toughness must be better.

Give me some days

Sure thing. I'm quite interested to see how it goes.

From my brief experience, the only feedback i can give you is that jumping with one of those things attached to my head wouldn't be a pleasant experience.
But no matter how good the controller, the problem with VR is still the goggles. I remember how hyped i was a few years ago about VR until i tried out an Oculus... Sure, one day pc monitors/tvs/screens will be about as useful as a sack of potatoes, but we still have a few years to go. Until then, i sure as heck am not interested in strapping a brick over my face and paying for it.
Either way, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a head start in such an untapped industry, but i wouldn't expect miracles over night.

I have meditated about the goggles problem and I think that the structure is wrong in what FPS gaming is about, Imy designs are more similar to military helmets. I wear some copies done for airsoft and they are not as hard to wear as you can think, of course the real ones I am sure they are uncomfortable as hell, but for this device the final product must not weight so much and many accesories present in the military versions are not required to make them work as a platform for the VR visor.

So what you basically thought up was thiswith capacitive touch detection instead of pressure points.
Mechanically anything that can be rolled up and stored will not last very long so it would have to have a solid base, which makes it bulky and expensive.
There might also be a problem of knowing where the pad is once you have an HMD on, personally I tend to wander off and start hitting walls (good thing there's the grid) whilst in VR, and constantly looking down to see a wireframe of the pad would get annoying fast.

I don't think there's a real solution to the VR FPS problem apart from strapping yourself on an onmitread or the likes. My personal solution to this is to strap WASD keys on your palm and "emulate" key presses like you would on a normal keyboard.

Mmmm, yes, you´re right, it´s a dance mat!! ( I mentioned that three replies before ^^ ), but on the last designs I did (remember, this is ONLY an idea, is not that I will start to produce anything!!) the device can be rolled because the very design of the touch area.

I am now porting the sketches to a 3D program and if all goes fine with my other project (I mean: if the animations of the HOG don´t give me any headache) I will finish the prototype images very soon. In fact, I think about it with the limits of what could be done at home with a 3D printer and very basic hardware that can be bought on any big hardware store. The software and behaviour will be explained in further posts.

For the limits of the device so you will not be granted with a head bump, the very design will avoid that, in fact, the way it works will tell you to stop before exiting its boundaries (no electroshock involved!!! ). The Jump sensors will take care of that too just in case (I´ll tell you how)

I haven´t a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, so I cannot tell you with precission how much it will weight, but I think it will not be more of 4 Kg, less than a suitcase filled with documents and it´s only a bit more weight than many other VR devices.