Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[RCHeliguy]

My datalogger arrived DOA. My replacement should be here on Friday.
I at least got the software installed and got to see the device.

The magnet it uses to hold itself in place is very strong. It should stay put during testing.

 

[MarkModdy]

Data logger? I missed that bit?… what data logger have you ordered please?

 

[Mr Latte]

To offer some possible help, or at least info, here is some links I rembered from a while ago...

This guy is a bit of an expert on that topic and his blogs / website covers various professional hardware like this and also different software options.

The reality is, it is an area that can be very expensive in having equipment/sensors that may be accurate, or operate well enough for the frequencies or usage case we have. Although, those more with a mechanical/engineering background may find it interesting.

iPad also had some nice software options, Signalscope used to be quite excellent but now gets bad reviews as it went pay monthly. IIRC it worked with industry based sensors as well as audio interfaces/microphones with various spectrum analysis options.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Data logger? I missed that bit?… what data logger have you ordered please?

It was a VB300.

This guy is a bit of an expert on that topic and his blogs / website covers various professional hardware like this and also different software options.

I have a friend who is heavily into measurements with lasers, sonar, optical tracking etc.. suggested something like the Fluke 805 with external magnetic sensor. The combination is about $4,000. He said I might even consider renting the equipment. He is extremely well equipped, but is near Dallas, TX.

The VB300 on that linked page didn't have any supporting information about why it was ranked low other than suggesting they have older technology and didn't offer a good value. I realize that it can only measure 0-60Hz frequencies because of its 200Hz sample frequency and that is definitely a limitation, but it should give me some reasonable metrics.

The reason I picked the VB300 is that is comes with a strong magnetic mount I can just put on my seat plate. The sensor can be removed from the magnetic mount without disturbing where it is mounted for consistent measurements. The lower ~$200 cost and windows software it came with to read the results by USB helped push me in this direction.

Perfect? Not even close, but still an empirical measurement that can be compared.
Given some of this will be based on my being able to maintain a constant brake pedal pressure for a series of measurements, I think it will be accurate enough. Unless I could rig up a reverse clamp to press against the pedal... Hmmm.. Still I think having my weight in the seat will have an impact as well. Granted I could use sand bags or something as well.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I had never noticed this before.
I just clicked it to see what happens.

My guess is that Google will stop promoting my videos without ads and viewership will take a nose dive.
Let's see what happens.

 

[RCHeliguy]

<sigh>

Apparently YT punishes you if you remove ads from your videos. My videos watches per hour fell off a cliff after I turned off the ads

I turned ads back on. What's the point of saving people from ads if no one actually sees the videos.

I'm betting at the top of the next hour there will be a sudden rally of views...

Edit: There was a rally when I turned it back on... Google is there to make money and not just host videos for free or at least it won't promote them if they can't make their dime off them.

 

[RCHeliguy]

There is a limit to all good things.

With motion turned up and FFB turned up and my 6 point harness cinched down very tight, I can get to the point where I feel like my shoulders are being ripped apart.

 

[blekenbleu]

my shoulders are being ripped apart

Straps should not be pulling down on shoulders;
rollers should angle straps so that they pull back and slightly up.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Straps should not be pulling down on shoulders;
rollers should angle straps so that they pull back and slightly up.

That is a good point, and I probably should have thought about this sooner.

I could drill two new M6 holes and raise my G-Belt up maybe 1.5" or so. Currently I have the seatbelt centered in the slot. The extra height could be more comfortable.

Unfortunately my seat top bends back at the edge of where it is currently mounted. To move it up, I would need a spacer and adapter plate of some kind. Looks like something that would require a lot more work than just drilling a pair of new holes

 

[RCHeliguy]

OK, I have an idea for an adjustable seat belt lifting mechanism that fits into the G-Belt enclosure. Something to do while I wait for my replacement Data Logger. LOL!

 

[RCHeliguy]

This should fit inside the slot and raise the belt by 30mm.
A piece of wide UHMW tape should keep the belt sliding pretty well.

it actually fits well in the G-Belt and lifts the belt a reasonable amount, but I think I need a 2 piece solution so I can extend the belt support forward more. As this is it just barely fits under the bar in place. I'd like maybe 10mm more height and 30mm more extension forward.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I tried something else that got too complicated. I pretty well nailed the form factor that actually fits in the enclosure on my first attempt.

So I've put UHMW tape on the first one and installed it with some caulk. Printing the 2nd. Then I'll test to see if it relieves any pressure

 

[stigs2cousin]

Are you shure the "infill part" is formfitting enough to withstand the pressure that crushes your shoulders?
I´d suggest to make it wider than the belt through hole (only on the belt tensioner side) so that it can´t be pulled through the hole.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Are you shure the "infill part" is formfitting enough to withstand the pressure that crushes your shoulders?
I´d suggest to make it wider than the belt through hole (only on the belt tensioner side) so that it can´t be pulled through the hole.

Not a bad idea to widen the part inside the G-Belt.

Let me see how it works as is first. I realized something after installing the 2nd belt spacer. I can make this a lot larger and extend it forward. I just need to pull the arms back as far as they go. Doh!

The seat slot opening is narrower than the hole in the G-Belt, so if I want to extend out towards the seat, I need to narrow the section that extends forward. More measurements for another day.

Data logger should arrive tomorrow, but unfortunately I have a lot of work to do.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Finally got my vibration datalogger working.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Going down another rabbit hole... Trying out a 10x10 Chromakey backdrop for grins.

Did a little test video. Not quite there yet. Making progress, but I still need more lighting to make it work well. I still had green spillover in my hair and need to separate myself further from the backdrop, add more front lighting and probably need to block off some of the reflections of the backdrop.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Here are the A/B before and after tests for Tactile response.
I had my signal at 70% of my max output and with me sitting in the seat.

You can see that there is some drop off, but nothing that can't be compensated for with a little extra volume. Although it does seem to drop off more at 70,75,80 Hz, so there does look to be a bit of a stronger attenuation at higher frequncies.

Without linear bearings installed

With Linear bearings installed

The brake deflection results were not a huge difference. The linear bearing dropped the flex by 40%.
The fore/aft springs are further apart than the left / right dimension and when I felt in motion was that side to side motion. So overall, I don't think linear bearings are really needed to improve braking, but I think for motion they do make everything feel more immediate and crisper.

Next, I'll get some measurements with approximately 40lbs of pressure on the brake, without the linear bearings and with them. Then I'm going to bump the power to my CT with the linear bearing to see if I can make it look like it did without.

I need to dust under there!
The vibration sensor mount has a very powerful magnet and I can remove the sensor and put it back and guarantee it's in the same spot. I tried to put it half way between the TST-429 and BK-CT or centered on the plate.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Amazing!

I added one click on the amplifier to my BK-CT and now it basically matches the response without a linear bearing.

AND almost astounding is that adding brake pressure had very little effect. I'm thinking that the simple act of sitting in the seat probably leans back a bit and puts the linear bearing in contact.

40kg brake pressure ( as accurately as I could hold it. According to the HE software I was about 38-41kg for most of this.

Without bearing 40kg brake

With bearing 40kg brake + 1 click of BK-CT volume on my amplifier.

Another cool thing is that the vibrations are dampened with brake pressure when there is no linear bearing and the vibrations are actually more consistent with the linear bearing braking vs. no braking.

Below is with Linear Bearing +1 click BK-CT but no brake pressure and it looks nearly identical to the graph above with 40kg brake pressure.

 

[RCHeliguy]

One thing I noticed during testing was that the tactile in my seat was much quieter with the linear bearings in place. It was pointed out that I should probably check out the X and Y components and sure enough the linear bearing was constraining the X/Y motion quite a bit.

The Y axis is moving a LOT more which makes sense. My TST and BK are mounted on the front and rear of the tactile plate, but both are centered on the X axis.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Here is and account of my test results.