DIY Head Tracker For A Tenner

[brumster]

There is some excellent progress behind the scenes of the software front between Pocketmoon and myself.

I've been testing a cut of his code using the newer MotionApps firmware and it seems incredibly reliable for high-motion drift. Basically, I was having no issues with static drift on the old code, but rapid head movements would introduce creep on the X axis, and this is a known problem without magnetometer integration.

The new code seems much better at coping with this, returning to dead centre reliably. I've played for well over 30 minutes without having to touch the recentre button. And, let's face it, the need to shake your head violently while playing the game is pretty non-existent anyway, so under normal gameplay it should be fine.

There's also my exponential axis option in the latest code, which I find really useful but it's horses for courses I guess (try it; see how you get on with it). This gives you fine control at the extremes of the axes (particularly around centre-ahead) but faster, low-accuracy movement as you move out of that central zone. Really useful if you're a fixed-weapons user.

 

[No3kins]

I would just like to say thank you to everyone involved. This is my first post on the forum (although I have been watching from the sidelines since backing the project).

There is fantastic community spirit and DIY attitude shown particularly on this thread so I thought it about time I post and give my thanks.

I think I will be giving this a go. Haven't done any soldering for a long while but I am sure I can dig out my iron.

Would you advise going ahead with the 6050 or trying to source the 9150. Or maybe I should wait to see how development progresses goes (problem is I am eager to give this a try!)

Thanks once again and keep up the great work.

 

[brumster]

Based on my honest experiences, the performance of the 6050 is fine. I can get between 30 and 60 minutes of play without needing a reset (on one occassion I've done just over an hour with still no sign of drift). Even if you find a button press unacceptable every 30 minutes, you have to ask yourself, am I fussed at a £10-£25 price point (depending on how much of it you do yourself)?

The 6050's are easily sourced in the UK without having to resort to buying in from eBay China at a 24 day delivery, and it's not like you can't swap it later on. I'd say go with 6050, have some fun, let us sort the 9150 out in time

Thanks for your kind words by the way, they are much appreciated! Same to everyone who has helped and supported along the way, Omegahunter and n0ahg in particular who have helped greatly in testing...

 

[No3kins]

Thanks brumster. If I can help I would like to. I have programming experience (although not much in C++ which I gather is what the code is written in).

I would be more than happy to test it etc.

I have not looked enough into how programming of the module etc works. Is this likely to be compiled into a program etc at some point? Is that possible?

Regardless if it helps I create MSI installers for freeware projects. This would provide an easy installation method once you have something ready for release. Do you think the program would lend it self to be being installed or will it always require a little more hacking about and uploading scripts to the module etc.

If I can help at all just let me know.

 

[brumster]

The intention is to package up the image into a simple "flash" utility so that no-one needs to jump into an Arduino IDE if they don't want to. I'm also slowly working on writing our own libraries so that we can reduce our dependency on open source libraries a little, but this is mainly driven by the fact that some of them are too large to fit into our available space, and are targetting flexibility for end users that ultimately we don't need.

I think if/when we get to that stage, it's great to know we can call on you and others if needed!

 

[Sniper435]

I'm very interested in making myself one of these but while I can handle the soldering and such I don't have the capability to print / etch myself a base pcb.
Is anyone (UK / Cambridge) based able to help me out with this?I'm quite happy to spend a little extra money to put together a more elegant solution that working with prototyping boards and the like.
alternatively, how long do you think it might be before your plans for offering nice 3d printed enclosures and the like come to fruition?

 

[Calico Jack]

Any plans to sell these on eBay Delanclip style?

Some of us really shouldn't be allowed near a soldering iron.

 

[Omegahunter]

I'm very interested in making myself one of these but while I can handle the soldering and such I don't have the capability to print / etch myself a base pcb.
Is anyone (UK / Cambridge) based able to help me out with this?I'm quite happy to spend a little extra money to put together a more elegant solution that working with prototyping boards and the like.
alternatively, how long do you think it might be before your plans for offering nice 3d printed enclosures and the like come to fruition?

You wont need to etch your own daughter board to hold it all, that's already been outsourced and a few hundred will soon be available to buy.

 

[Sniper435]

Great, I'll loiter and wait then

 

[Omegahunter]

Check out the pictures below Pocketmoon and the guys have done a great job on getting some professional boards made up.

Spoiler

Spoiler

[/QUOTE]

 

[Omegahunter]

Any plans to sell these on eBay Delanclip style?

Some of us really shouldn't be allowed near a soldering iron.

For people who don't think they will be up to the task of soldering or programming these boards there is very likely going to be a few people willing to build some ready to go for you.

Just make your names know and I'm sure someone like Brumster will add you to the right list.

 

[Sniper435]

very nice - so will you just supply the pcb or have you put into any thought of also supplying headers and buttons - they seem like the sort of thing that a large order of would be quite cheap (compared to lots of single quantity orders).
not so much the arduino or gyro as that would be a large upfront cost to you guys.

 

[brumster]

It's more the time than anything. Speaking purely from a personal perspective (rather than in any "official" capacity as the pocketmoon-deadfred-brumster collective!) the idea was always for this to be a DIY thing, but I don't mind making up the odd board for people... but I've no idea about demand really, if it gets unmanageable then my attitude might change!!

 

[Omegahunter]

It's more the time than anything. Speaking purely from a personal perspective (rather than in any "official" capacity as the pocketmoon-deadfred-brumster collective!) the idea was always for this to be a DIY thing, but I don't mind making up the odd board for people... but I've no idea about demand really, if it gets unmanageable then my attitude might change!!

Sorry Brumster didn't want to make it sound like you would be offering a full build service.

Just I'm sure that some of us will be building more than one unit for ourselves and friends so it might be easy to add another 1 or 2 to the list to offer to other Elite Dangerous friends as a non business service.

I'd rather keep the units as DIY kits as making them to sell does add other problems like warranties and health and safety etc. But if the people asking for this service understand its being done as a gift to friends and not a business. I'm sure a few will be on offer.

 

[Sniper435]

have you got any cad models or useful info that could be used in designing an enclosure model for 3d printing? there's quite a few services out there for getting items printed and I imagine some kind of case for these would be useful.

 

[Dead Fred]

Just nail it to your head.
Or use staples if nails are too gruesome!

Kidding.....

Health and safety!
EEek.
Don't burn yourself on a soldering iron (one end might be hot)
Don't nail things to your head.
Please don't turn the UK into America!
Contents may be hot after heating...........
A packet of nuts may contain nut traces......

Pocketmoon printed himself a wee box. Might be worth noising him up.
We have thought about various ways to enclose the unit ( Tic Tak box etc) but at the moment its pretty much up to you. I have found that sticking the Micro USB connector directly onto my headset using a double sided sticky pad with a cable tie on top and attaching the unit to that works pretty well even if it is at a funny angle. It's so light without an enclosure its strong enough. Also allows you to simply replace a whole unit by unplugging and replacing it. My headset headband is made of magnesium alloy which is conductive so I can't just use elastic bands because it would short everything out.
I just have to be careful with it or the usb connector will just snap off the board. But all the load from the cable is taken by the sticky pad and zip tie.
A proper designed printed box is a pretty big project in itself.
I think someone already posted this.

Spoiler

http://www.shapeways.com/model/1200712/cobra-mkiii-wireframe-13cm.html

I think everyone realises that it's not a real product as such. There are no warranties or guarantees we are just trying to make it as easy and cheap as possible to get a decent headtracker going.
That is not to say we won't do our level best to get you up and running if you have problems. Even if it does not work as intended straight out the box or the assembly process, that's half the fun. Explaining to your kids what's wrong and how to fix it.
Most things that I have come across that initially look like" a dodgy sensor board" are in fact just bad calibration and some other wee software glitches that we now know how to fix. It's a work in progress and we are all still learning.
I think it's fun.


I think Pocket is on full throttle getting a calibration and config app up and running so you won't even have to muck around with the Interactive Development Envoronment changing values in the code and installing extra drivers etc. But you can if you want. With that freedom comes a certain lack of responsibility. It's a prototype.
A bit like the Rift but not as well funded, lol.

 

[Amos]

I emailed hobby components to see if they would think about stocking the mpu 9150 they said

Hi Andrew,

We don't currently have plans to stock this module, but we have had other customers ask about it in the past. I will talk to our supplier about it this week and will let you know if its something we can stock and a rough idea of price in single quantity

still been fiddling with my one, read what brumster said I was using old code, I used the latest one now I think changelog mentions Dan's exponental response 24/03/2014.

X axis is ok now, Y is a bit weird it seems merged slightly, the cross hairs goes up when I tilt it up but down it goes down a little and then to the left, if I do it more then it goes all over so am not sure what to do but I am still playing around with it.
Has anyone tried this device on any other games apart from elite dangerous?

 

[Dead Fred]

I played with it in a game called "Windows USB game controllers"
It was awesome....

Merged axes are something to do with the MPU6050 not resetting correctly or the registers on the ProMicro.
I think Pocketmoon and Brumster are a bit more knowledgeable on that one.
Cosmos and I had it and it was fixed.
Involved something like uploading some code using different libraries which behaved better then reuploading the sketch.

I think some others have tried other games though I have not myself.
You may need Vjoy or something to help map the controller to other games I don't really know.

I understand TF2 and other Source engine Games have headtracking support but I don't know how to enable it or set it up.

 

[Ulysses_W]

Has anyone tried this device on any other games apart from elite dangerous?

I have a work colleague who made one up for Microsoft FSX and he's plenty pleased with the results.

 

[pocketmoon]

X axis is ok now, Y is a bit weird it seems merged slightly, the cross hairs goes up when I tilt it up but down it goes down a little and then to the left, if I do it more then it goes all over so am not sure what to do but I am still playing around with it.

always worth doing a full recalibration (debug on, open monitor window, press button while it's 'settling' wait for calibration to complete). Must be kept very flat and very still.

I've ported the sketch to a newer version of the Invsense libraries which look good so far and may help with more reliable calibration. I'll release that along with the new ED Tracker Windows App later this week.

Cheers

Rob