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Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:33 am
by machineman9
On youtube there are videos for how to turn Wiimotes (with the help of an old mouse and USB cables) into a working mouse for the computer.
Anyway, I am thinking about trying to do something similar to what TrackIR offers using this technique.
I am thinking of mounting a Wiimote (as I have one) ontop of my monitor and linking it to a spare mouse.... Then I would fasten 2 or so LEDs to a pair of spare sunglasses and wire these to USB so that they are powered.
The reason why I think this would work is in the Wiimote mouse videos there is often lit candles or something which the mote uses for reference points, and using LEDs would still create IR with which the mote could use to reference off. The only difference is that instead of the mote moving, the IR references are moving... which should be just the same as if the mote had moved. Change a few settings in the game and you have the mouse (Wiimote) as the camera control..
What do you think of this? Do you reckon it is a feasable project? I have all the required items, but from the looks of it, only X and Y would be affected... no Z or rotation movement.
Cheers
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:49 pm
by machineman9
The use of the mote failed... but a second thought has come in
Using the same headset mock up I think I can achieve something like in the video here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-UwBasically using a webcam (with a program called Free Track) and a headset like in that video... the same result is achieved for a very small price.
NICE!
Shall try to buy some IR LEDs later this week... and I will need a decent webcam.
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:40 pm
by Wii
That is awesome! I want one...
Can you say "next gen gaming"?
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:34 pm
by machineman9
I would say so...
It is just a really neat thing to have.
In my first test I blew up an IR LED (which was centimetres from my eye) in a matter of seconds.
I guess I should do more reading and less experimenting... I havent been more scared in years. It glowed orange and then a puff of smoke as it burn out. Removed the USB connection just in time- I could have faced a short soon after.
Perhaps I will buy the TrackIR headset, but use a webcam and FreeTrack to save money... I really dont like the idea of electronics going like this so close my face...
What sort of a resistor would be required to lower the voltage from 5V down to 4.5V so that it can be shared in series to 3 LEDs? Im not really sure when it comes to resistors what I need... edit: a 5.1Ohms is enough, apparently. 5V going through 3 LEDs, each at 1.5V and each with 100mA
THESE
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:20 pm
by newberiffic
That is awesome! I want one...
Can you say "next gen gaming"?
Hell ya, that is badass!!!
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:49 pm
by machineman9
And anyway...
I am about to order my webcam to make this FreeTrack project work.
Might have results soon, just need the LEDs, resistor and webcam...
Re: Theory for cheap TrackIR equivelant...

Posted:
Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:45 pm
by machineman9
Well I have ordered the webcam, should be arriving late this week or early on the next.
At the weekend I will go componant-shopping.
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:47 pm
by machineman9
Well I have the webcam required, and it has mucked up the webcam image with the IR filter removed (bah, I'm hardly photogenic anyway)
Anywho, where can I buy IR LEDs? Maplin has a very limited range, and I dont know where else I can get them...
Anyone have UK sites? Cheers
Well, maplin does have a 3mm one... but would this be alright do you think?
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:38 pm
by BuggsK100RS
Might sound daft but could you not get hold of some old TV remote and scavenge the IR LED's???
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:50 pm
by machineman9
Might sound daft but could you not get hold of some old TV remote and scavenge the IR LED's???
All the ones I have are in use, and I wouldnt be able to tell if they all have the same requirements, thus some might get damaged from the power put through them.
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:23 pm
by J.
wow awesome, watched the youtube vid and its pretty awesome!
im interested now about creating my own Head Tracking. could you please link me to the site where you are learning all this

cheers
J
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:36 pm
by machineman9
*links given*
To anyone else interested,
www.free-track.net http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MNstobEAadohttp://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... ED&doy=2m3official site for software/other guides
guide i am following
place for LEDs, links respectively.
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:40 am
by J.
found a better place for the LED's actually have the recomended one
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse ... tid=346104also, got my web cam modified, and working, i did a short test in FS9 earlier using a TV remote as the emitter and it worked

cant wait to finish building the headset

Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Tue Mar 04, 2008 11:20 am
by machineman9
Well I have the 3 LEDs that I ordered (3mm ones, but I guess they should be okay)
Just need a resistor- I asked my tech teacher today and she forwarded me over to another teacher who mainly does A level stuff (we dont really use 11Ohm resistors) but I will have to wait until tomorow to see if I can get one.
What other shops might have one? I have a B&Q nearby but im not sure if they will be likely to have one. Any thoughts?
Re: Creating motion-sensitive headset

Posted:
Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:28 pm
by machineman9
Okay. I have a few assurances from my teacher that she will find me a suitable resistor for my project.
If this doesnt turn out to be the case, could I strap another LED (a regular red one) into the circuit so that it does not need to be resisted?
3x1.5V LEDs+
1x.15 or so V LED
Would this keep me out of danger of over powering it?