DIY SB specific wireless touchscreen 2 axis controller

[oakdesign]

I always wanted to have a more gunner controller like input device. Having spend some time on the "real" simulator again over the past 2 years, I now decided it's time to something done. 
For the moment I have finished my POC phase and am on the way of building the first prototype. So from the Hardware side im using:

• torsion spring loaded mechanism that I ripped out of a sim racing steering wheel for X rotation (left right)
• torsion or dual spring mechanim on a shaft for Y rotation (up down)
• for a maybe future V2 version already sourcing parts to replace the spring mechanism DC motors, basically a constant force feedback version
• Android 10" tablet gyrosensor for the positioning, and touchscreen for button and keyboard inputs
• Not decided yet might add some real physical buttons to the handles, but would require the device to be wired 

On the software side:

• Freepie apk for Android to send gyro sensor data to the PC (the way any racing game on a mobile works, rotate device for steering, tilt for acceleration)
• Opentrack with freepie input and vjoy output to receive the sensor data and translate to axis movement of the vJoy virtual device
• SpaceDesk Server Client to convert the Android device into a secondary PC monitor
• Helios (mainly used in flight sim to build virtual cockpits on touch devices) to be run on the tablet and providing virtual buttons and switches. Physical buttons might be added during prototyping
• Joystick Gremlin to map everything together onto a single virtual HID device that is then used in SB as controller

 

The POC testing with my phone as gyro sensor went better as expected. It feels just more natural and even without dialing in response curves fits my liking more than the joystick and/or gamepads that I have tested/used so far. Will post more progress once mor of the 3D printing is done

Edited April 4 by oakdesign

[Ssnake]

Interesting concept.

[oakdesign]

Prototype works, but resolution with the way to map gyro data to vjoy axis is nah ... at best 6 bit is usable with some curve fine tunings but not to my liking. Back to drawing board now I think I go the full way with DC motors and constant force feedback and use the wireless screen only for Helios and create input profiles

https://youtu.be/apYyVN_W9Ro?si=wMGdNNaS5EDkKVtB

Edited April 5 by oakdesign

[oakdesign]

Even so my first protoype works it doesn't fullfill my requirement in terms of haptic feeling. Decided now to go for a full motor driven approach for a force feedback controller.
First part are source and starting to write the controller firmware while in parallel starting to draw the mechanic in CAD.
Optical Rotary encoder will give precision of 12bit. The axis will be driven by 12V Brushless 775 DC motors. 
Next step will be starting to write controller code to simulate a constant force feedback based on handle position to overcome the non existant SB force feedback interface

[Nike-Ajax]

I mostly dont understand a word you are typing ....

But I love the story you are telling.

 

All the best to the project and you !