Magneto-rheological damper and linear spring type of force feedback?!

assettonoob · Jan 7, 2015

I found this web page:
http://issl.eng.uci.edu/mr-fluid-based-steer-wire-system
It looks interesting. Possibly it would solve many problems with current force feedback motor wheels? I'm just wondering whether anybody would, or could, design a force feedback wheel using this technology?
I don't know about the cost of making something like that.
I was also thinking that an electric magnet with a linear spring, instead of only a motor, could work?
I've no idea if it's been posted before.

Stereo · Jan 8, 2015

It sounds more like they want an application for the technology than that it's especially well suited to the use... there's a reason sims tell you to turn off the centering spring, it's not an accurate representative of anything in a real car (they do have an aligning torque, but it's variable in both where the center is and how strong it is).

In parallel with a servo, in a game designed to send the right combination of force & damping signals, it might be better than the electric motor alone. Not sure how easy those are to separate from the source though.

Mainly though the big issue with existing FFB wheels is too much damping; that's why you see the DRI setting on Fanatec wheels, which is programmed to compensate by adjusting the forces.

With respect to an electromagnet + spring, the spring introduces extra 'play' into the system making it slower to react, and an electric motor is already a well designed electromagnet.

assettonoob · Jan 8, 2015

Stereo said:
It sounds more like they want an application for the technology than that it's especially well suited to the use... there's a reason sims tell you to turn off the centering spring, it's not an accurate representative of anything in a real car (they do have an aligning torque, but it's variable in both where the center is and how strong it is).

In parallel with a servo, in a game designed to send the right combination of force & damping signals, it might be better than the electric motor alone. Not sure how easy those are to separate from the source though.

Mainly though the big issue with existing FFB wheels is too much damping; that's why you see the DRI setting on Fanatec wheels, which is programmed to compensate by adjusting the forces.

With respect to an electromagnet + spring, the spring introduces extra 'play' into the system making it slower to react, and an electric motor is already a well designed electromagnet.

Thanks for your reply when I googled 'Dri Fanatec', I found this link:
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/fanatec-wheel-set-up.131602/
I'm wondering whether a lot of the oscillation, damping and inertia I'm feeling, is just because the Logitech/Thrustmaster wheels don't have the correct settings to work without problems or issues?
Do all Fanatec wheels come with those settings? I'll consider getting one if they do.