A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

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crespo80
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A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by crespo80 »

I want to make a topic from a post I wrote in another thread.
I think the most practical and intuitive way to easily move forward/backward and left/right inside a VR game, independently from head movements (and without awkard walking-on-spot or costly omni-directional threadmill) would be to stand still using a simple foot controller, and I want to build one to experiment with:

Imagine the analog stick of a standard gamepad, now imagine it separated from the gamepad and as large as your foot, and place it firm on the floor over a freely rotating base

you place one of your feet (fastened with a velcro strap) over this round controller and simply:
pitch forward/backward to go forward/backward
roll left/right to strafe left/right
you can freely move around 360° with the help of the free foot, by simply using the controlelr as a pivot point.

I think it would be cheap, simple, very effective and intuitive for everyone.
Plus you have a reference point in the real room and don't risk to hit something ang get hurt.
Plus you have both hands free to use every type of controller.

It's also possible to build a "seated" version, in which there is a third sensor that senses the rotation of the controller, so you can turn your virtual body without turning your real body, by simply rotating the controlelr up to 45° clockwise or 45° counterclockwise like the yaw movement of a joystick.

For the electronic part, I can use a standard HID compatible joystick interface like this one (it doesn't need any driver on any OS beacuse it's seen as a standard HID-compatible interface)
http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836/
and attach a pair of potentiometers.


Do you think the idea is worth a try?
And can I use multiple input devices inside any game? Because in racing and flight games I can use as many different devices as I want (i.e. a Logitech wheel together with a Fanatec pedal set together with a Thrustmaster shifter) but what about a generic game like Skyrim, GTA, AC, can I assign the forward button to a device and the fire button to another device?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by bobjwatts »

Great idea Crespo80.

I had this sort of idea in my head too. Totally agree the current solutions are awkward.

I was going down more of the seated path, maybe an add on to any office chair or spinning stool. 1:1 spinning would add a huge amount of immersion with the simple motion of spinning your body around.

The spinning disk is cool, you could do it without the strap so it was free spin. I was thinking you could maybe add the forward/back to the stool by leaning back or forward.

Also if you were spinning you might need a gyro so the cables don't get wrapped around.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by WiredEarp »

crespo80's idea is interesting as its low cost. Might well be worth investigating.
bobjwatts, I also have a similar idea of semi seated use, except using 2 Novint Falcon type devices, so you can also provide force feedback.
IMHO, this is where the commercial future lies, not with ODT's etc.

If you look around the internet, you'll actually see quite a few full feedback systems of this type have been built, but they just are too expensive at this point.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by crespo80 »

The spinning chair was one of the ideas, it's a lot cooler than my seated version, but I couldn't figure out how to fasten a controller to the foot.

But hey, your idea of leaning over the chair is great and suggested me a more complicated but fascinating device: the butt controller :lol:
I'm not kidding!
Imagine to attach a pillow over your existing spinning chair, and inside this pillow there is a load-cell-type controller like the wii balance bard: you simply lean forward/backward or left/right to move, and can use your feet to turn around 360°.
It can work indeed :mrgreen:

But my question remains: is it possible to map game buttons to different devices like we do in racing/flight games?
Last edited by crespo80 on Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by bobjwatts »

crespo80 wrote:But my question remains: is it possible to map game buttons to different devices like we do in racing/flight games?
Yes. You could actually just pull apart a gamepad/mouse and use the components.

Butt controller, that's hilarious and could actually work!
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by blasphemer »

I dunno, whats the advantage over hand controllers such as WSAD keys? If your aim was to simulate walking, I think this wont cut it, and may be more annoying than immersive. Sounds like an uncanny valley for controllers.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by WiredEarp »

The buttroller would actually work ok I think, but turning on an office chair is a poor substitute for turning in reality. However, if you turned up the scaling (so a small turn is a much larger turn in reality) I think it could work ok! I noticed when playing around with my gamegun that a higher than real ratio was actually desirable for playing games and stuff, it saves a lot of turning around which actually gets to be a bit of a pain in the long run, and uses more energy.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by rhinosix »

I had been thinking about basic pedals under the feet for walking, but I think your idea is better.

Walking in a virtual world like Skyrim would be cool on an ODT or walking exoskeleton, but a person would get tired pretty fast if they're walking for real.

I wouldn't mind a system where:

* Head movements with the HMD are strictly for looking around the world, and do not change the orientation of the body.
* Direction and speed the body turns is controlled by pointing with your left foot.
* Forward or backwards speed is controlled by sliding your right foot forward or back.

If you wanted to run across a large field in Skyrim you would just need to slide your right foot forward, and slightly turn your left foot to turn your character. The whole time you could look around naturally, and your hands would be free for weapons. A quick turnaround could be done by simultaneously pointing your left toes left or right, and sliding back your right foot, then bringing them back to the neutral position.

You could have some kind of mat like Dance Dance Revolution which detects the position of your feet.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

Interesting idea! Adding yaw input to the foot controller would also work so you don't have to physically turn your body might be useful, and could be used while sitting or standing. Perhaps lift detection could also be incorporated and used for something like jumping.


The foot controller for player movement + HMD headtracking for free look + something like a wiimote gun for aiming = a potentially decent and affordable FPS controller rig. :)
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Apotheosis »

crespo80 wrote:The spinning chair was one of the ideas, it's a lot cooler than my seated version, but I couldn't figure out how to fasten a controller to the foot.

But my question remains: is it possible to map game buttons to different devices like we do in racing/flight games?
Have you heard of the makey makey? It's a low cost board that supports wadz, amongst other key bindings, it uses alligator clips and you earth it off your body. It might be a simple cheap way to prototype your ideas?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by PatimPatam »

blasphemer wrote:I dunno, whats the advantage over hand controllers such as WSAD keys? If your aim was to simulate walking, I think this wont cut it, and may be more annoying than immersive. Sounds like an uncanny valley for controllers.
I don't think the aim is to simulate walking but to provide a more intuitive input for walking. In VR where you're completely immersed in the game i believe it would be much more intuitive to press your foot forward to walk forward than having to find and press the "w" key in your keyboard. Also such controller could provide very fine analog input for controlling different speeds for instance.

But more important than all that, the main advantage over hand controllers is that it would actually free your hands to do more interesting stuff. For example imagine complex interaction with in-game objects using something like the razer hydra or the leap motion.
Check out this very cool prototype by Owen:
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=15471

@crespo

I say go for it!! But i agree with rhinosix that for the seated version maybe it would easier to separate the controls, turning by rotating your left foot and walking/strafing with your right foot.

Anyway i will gladly be one of your first costumers!
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by crespo80 »

Apotheosis wrote: Have you heard of the makey makey? It's a low cost board that supports wadz, amongst other key bindings, it uses alligator clips and you earth it off your body. It might be a simple cheap way to prototype your ideas?
very cool :D
And following your input I found the arduino leonardo board which costs much less, has USB and HID compliance and can emulate a keyboard or mouse too!
But I don't know a thing about arduino stuff and I'm not a programmer...

Does anybody know if this particular board is easy to work on?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by bobv5 »

Arduino in general is about as easy as it gets for that sort of thing. If you have absolutely zero programming skill you are better hacking up a joypad. Now that I think about it I can't think of a reason to use Arduino instead of hacking a joypad even if you are a really good programmer. Anybody care to enlighten me?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by crespo80 »

bobv5 wrote: Now that I think about it I can't think of a reason to use Arduino instead of hacking a joypad even if you are a really good programmer. Anybody care to enlighten me?
Yeah, you're right, I think it will be simpler!

I had the idea of splitting a gamepad and use its analog sticks for the foot controlelr and the rest for the hand, but I then noticed that usually all the stuff of the gamepad is hardwired to one single PCB so I have to use two different controllers (one for the feet and one for the hands) or go with my first idea of the leobodnar interface (the arduino thing is too much for me)
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Leahy »

I had a similar idea, I never liked the idea of using just one foot to control movement so it seemed logical to use your butt. Also combine that with a mechanical strap to attach to the top of the chair and your shoulders to input turning and you have the 3 most important DOF after head tracking. You could even strap on mechanical sensors to your knees if you want to simulate crouching.

Combine that with the Rift tracking the head and a Hydra tracking your hands and you get a cheap consumer VR solution.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by EdZ »

bobv5 wrote:Arduino in general is about as easy as it gets for that sort of thing. If you have absolutely zero programming skill you are better hacking up a joypad. Now that I think about it I can't think of a reason to use Arduino instead of hacking a joypad even if you are a really good programmer. Anybody care to enlighten me?
The advantage of an Arduino over hacking a joypad is it allows you to use whatever inputs you want (e.g. Hall sensors instead of potentiometers), add programmatic responses to inputs (e.g. have physical switches that change what inputs a single button sends, or have a single physical input send a string of button presses, or toggle a press on or off), and add some form of output (e.g. indicator lights for aforementioned switches). With a hacked joypad, you're limited to the number of inputs, and type of inputs, that the joypad has.

If you can find a joypad that has the inputs you want, then it will be vastly cheapier and easier to hack that up than to use an Arduino, or some other microcontroller-based device e.g. the BU0836A.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Omarzuqo »

I've been thinking about a known and simple walking method in VR (but apparently not very popular), it's similar to walking on the spot, but it's more like "standing on the spot", and I think that it could be very satisfactory.

Let's say you're standing in a VR environment and underneath you there's an imaginary circle, with a radius of 3 steps, don't move and you will stand still in VR, move one step forward and you will walk in VR, move another step forward and you will run. You can rotate your body to change direction and keep walking or running depending on that area you're standing.

Here's a picture in case I'm not making myself clear:
vrwalk.JPG
A video of a very similar control scheme used in the Super Mario 64 DS version, look at the reticle under the stylus (not embeded because I just uploaded it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfUxlvVO3D8&feature=plcp

And finally, a video of that walking method used in a VR environment:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnq-8iaOcXk[/youtube]


It wouldn't be too hard to make either, it could be a DDR kind of carpet of a LED on your head and a camera on the celling, and it would provide 360° analog movement, support sidestep, and intuitive maneuvering, not to mention that it would prevent fatigue from long sessions of virtual walking.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by brantlew »

I can imagine stepping forward into the run region, then trying to maintain the run while turning around a 90 degree corner. Once you turn 90 degrees, you will now be located in the left-run region of your circle according to your local reference frame - essentially strafing. You will have to move to the right and forward to continue the forward run. A bit counter-intuitive.

The only alternative would be to change the location of the circle relative to your body. But then that would allow the player to travel around the floor.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Omarzuqo »

brantlew wrote:I can imagine stepping forward into the run region, then trying to maintain the run while turning around a 90 degree corner. Once you turn 90 degrees, you will now be located in the left-run region of your circle according to your local reference frame - essentially strafing. You will have to move to the right and forward to continue the forward run. A bit counter-intuitive.

The only alternative would be to change the location of the circle relative to your body. But then that would allow the player to travel around the floor.
Yeah, it has some inconveniences and would take a little getting used to (we would have to learn to "cyber walk") but I think it's the most practical method until someone comes up with a feasible omnidirection treadmill or something equivalent.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Okta »

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Non-Slip ... 2eac678f86 and an Arduino.

The plan was to wire the mat inputs to the arduino, wear an Android phone on a belt pouch and send the magnetometer readings to the Arduino via bluetooth to resolve the direction of facing so the front pad would always be W etc whatever direction you turned.

Upon reflecting on it, it just seems too unwieldy and you would lose your position on the mat and constantly be groping around for the right pads to push so i haven't carried on with it.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by cybereality »

I initially thought something like this would work, but it becomes difficult when you start doing multiple movements at once (like the very common running forward and turning). I'm still holding out for a clever solution, but its not an easy problem. On the cheap, I guess you could just walk and turn in place. More expensive is to get some sort of walking device, like the WizDish. Ultimately we would want a true ODT but those are both expensive and require a certain amount of space to house.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by STRZ »

MSat wrote:Interesting idea! Adding yaw input to the foot controller would also work so you don't have to physically turn your body might be useful, and could be used while sitting or standing. Perhaps lift detection could also be incorporated and used for something like jumping.


The foot controller for player movement + HMD headtracking for free look + something like a wiimote gun for aiming = a potentially decent and affordable FPS controller rig. :)
If you're familiar with the controls beeing like a second nature to you, it could even be possible to outperform traditional gamers with a mouse if you have effective hand tracking gestures too for weapon changing etc. The foot controller with WASD, yaw detection for changing the direction and a lift detection should be really considered, compared with other ODT and walking on spot solutions it could be both, affordable for everybody and effective. I'd go with loadcells for input detection, it's way more precise than potentiometers.

Someone could modify a barber chair with a foot controller and maybe remove the arm rests, Rift chair deluxe! :ugeek:

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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

I was thinking about this foot controller idea last night, and decided to give it ago by hacking apart a keyboard. I can assure you, it's turning out to be pretty crude, but I think the controls are quite intuitive. Essentially it's a foot rest on a teetering and rotating platform (a piece of wood suspended by foam underneath :lol: ). Tilting it in any direction will cause you to move, strafe, or do both at the same time, while turning your foot left/right causes you to turn appropriately. I'm thinking a legitimate and properly designed device would make a good directional controller for VR. I'll post some pics once I'm finished.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by rhinosix »

Nice! Great work on getting a prototype built!

Looking forward to hearing more on what you think does/ doesn't work when you post the photos.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Leahy »

MSat wrote:I was thinking about this foot controller idea last night, and decided to give it ago by hacking apart a keyboard. I can assure you, it's turning out to be pretty crude, but I think the controls are quite intuitive. Essentially it's a foot rest on a teetering and rotating platform (a piece of wood suspended by foam underneath :lol: ). Tilting it in any direction will cause you to move, strafe, or do both at the same time, while turning your foot left/right causes you to turn appropriately. I'm thinking a legitimate and properly designed device would make a good directional controller for VR. I'll post some pics once I'm finished.
I like that idea, it could even be adapted to be analog via pressure and you use both feet
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

The prototype is TOTAL CRAP, and is everything a proper implementation should _not_ be. I gave up after just adding forwards/reverse functionality as there is little sense in continuing with it just to say that it kind of works. A proper design IMO should have no perceptible movement in the platform, otherwise having to balance in the neutral position is a PITA and uncomfortable. The correct way, as Leahy suggests, is to use pressure-based sensing instead of displacement. It would likely also be important to incorporate straps like a pair of sandals at both, around the ball of the foot, and heel/ankles - this would prevent the foot from sliding out of place, and balance the pressure along the foot making it more comfortable and precise.

@Leahy
I'm not sure what benefit there would be to using both feet, as a single devices could control all directional movements (forward/reverse, strafing, and turning). Did you have something else in mind?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by geekmaster »

MSat wrote:... The correct way, as Leahy suggests, is to use pressure-based sensing instead of displacement. It would likely also be important to incorporate straps like a pair of sandals at both, around the ball of the foot, and heel/ankles - this would prevent the foot from sliding out of place, and balance the pressure along the foot making it more comfortable and precise. ...
A cheap and simple DIY pressure sensor is a piece of conductive black foam (like ICs sometimes come in), sandwiched between a pair of metal foil sheets (like aluminum foil). You can attach wires to aluminum foil with paperclips. Then measure the resistance of your DIY pressure sensor (or use a resistor to make a voltage divider and measure it with a microprocessor analog input). Not a long term solution but works well for experimentation.

More info here:
https://www.inventables.com/technologie ... oam-sensor

And here is another method that skips the metal foil:
http://www.logicalzero.com/blog/?p=22

And a more durable version:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to- ... ressure-S/
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

geekmaster wrote:
MSat wrote:... The correct way, as Leahy suggests, is to use pressure-based sensing instead of displacement. It would likely also be important to incorporate straps like a pair of sandals at both, around the ball of the foot, and heel/ankles - this would prevent the foot from sliding out of place, and balance the pressure along the foot making it more comfortable and precise. ...
A cheap and simple DIY pressure sensor is a piece of conductive black foam (like ICs sometimes come in), sandwiched between a pair of metal foil sheets (like aluminum foil). You can attach wires to aluminum foil with paperclips. Then measure the resistance of your DIY pressure sensor (or use a resistor to make a voltage divider and measure it with a microprocessor analog input). Not a long term solution but works well for experimentation.

More info here:
https://www.inventables.com/technologie ... oam-sensor

And here is another method that skips the metal foil:
http://www.logicalzero.com/blog/?p=22

And a more durable version:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to- ... ressure-S/
The black foam just so happens to be the method the engineers at IBM used to create the first pointing stick prototype! Luckily, proper force sensors are available from various online vendors, and would give more consistent results. Building a proper platform is a bigger challenge than I'm willing to undertake at the moment, as I already have enough projects on my plate. Still, I have little doubt that it would make a good controller, and I would buy a commercialized product if it were available.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by geekmaster »

MSat wrote:...The black foam just so happens to be the method the engineers at IBM used to create the first pointing stick prototype! Luckily, proper force sensors are available from various online vendors, and would give more consistent results. Building a proper platform is a bigger challenge than I'm willing to undertake at the moment, as I already have enough projects on my plate. Still, I have little doubt that it would make a good controller, and I would buy a commercialized product if it were available.
So would I, but my need to satisfy my curiosity so I can get to sleep and stop thinking about an idea would compel me to DIY-rig a rough prototype from materials on hand so I can test my idea. So, as is typical for me, I do both.

So like me, you can try the DIY black foam pressure sensors while waiting for your commercial pressure transducers or strain gauges to arrive.

Others here have similar traits, which is why they ordered the DIY-Rift recommended 5x lenses after ordering a Rift. :D

And now, while waiting for your lenses, you can try DIY lenses from cheap dollar store fresnel magnifiers:
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/viewtopic.p ... 335#p95633

Then after that, you can wait for your loupe lenses. Then after that you can wait for your Rift. :P
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

geekmaster wrote:
MSat wrote:...The black foam just so happens to be the method the engineers at IBM used to create the first pointing stick prototype! Luckily, proper force sensors are available from various online vendors, and would give more consistent results. Building a proper platform is a bigger challenge than I'm willing to undertake at the moment, as I already have enough projects on my plate. Still, I have little doubt that it would make a good controller, and I would buy a commercialized product if it were available.
So would I, but my need to satisfy my curiosity so I can get to sleep and stop thinking about an idea would compel me to DIY-rig a rough prototype from materials on hand so I can test my idea. So, as is typical for me, I do both.

So like me, you can try the DIY black foam pressure sensors while waiting for your commercial pressure transducers or strain gauges to arrive.

Others here have similar traits, which is why they ordered the DIY-Rift recommended 5x lenses after ordering a Rift. :D

And now, while waiting for your lenses, you can try DIY lenses from cheap dollar store fresnel magnifiers:
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/viewtopic.p ... 335#p95633

Then after that, you can wait for your loupe lenses. Then after that you can wait for your Rift. :P
Hehehe..

I was really considering building a Rift clone, but I decided to be patient and wait for my dev kit, and spend my money where it would be better served for other things. Because I know once I have the Rift, I wouldn't touch the DIY device.

I don't want to bother with a foot controller unless I can make it proper enough for me to actually want to use. I already know such a device could technically could work, and I don't need a very rough design to prove it to myself. I thought my rudimentary prototype would be somewhat compelling, but it did nothing for me. Actually, it was somewhat upsetting because I felt like I was just wasting my time.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea with potential, but for now I'm probably better off focusing on my upper body skeletal tracker (http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=16141). Then again, if Oculus is doing something similar, maybe it's not the best use of my time... :-/
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Leahy »

MSat wrote:The prototype is TOTAL CRAP, and is everything a proper implementation should _not_ be. I gave up after just adding forwards/reverse functionality as there is little sense in continuing with it just to say that it kind of works. A proper design IMO should have no perceptible movement in the platform, otherwise having to balance in the neutral position is a PITA and uncomfortable. The correct way, as Leahy suggests, is to use pressure-based sensing instead of displacement. It would likely also be important to incorporate straps like a pair of sandals at both, around the ball of the foot, and heel/ankles - this would prevent the foot from sliding out of place, and balance the pressure along the foot making it more comfortable and precise.

@Leahy
I'm not sure what benefit there would be to using both feet, as a single devices could control all directional movements (forward/reverse, strafing, and turning). Did you have something else in mind?
It would certainly work just fine with one foot as opposed to two, the difference in using two feet is for strafing and I would swap the left and right directions. In other words when you strafe naturally to the right you push to the left side with your left foot. I could very well be off on this idea it makes sense kinestheically to me
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

Leahy wrote:
MSat wrote:The prototype is TOTAL CRAP, and is everything a proper implementation should _not_ be. I gave up after just adding forwards/reverse functionality as there is little sense in continuing with it just to say that it kind of works. A proper design IMO should have no perceptible movement in the platform, otherwise having to balance in the neutral position is a PITA and uncomfortable. The correct way, as Leahy suggests, is to use pressure-based sensing instead of displacement. It would likely also be important to incorporate straps like a pair of sandals at both, around the ball of the foot, and heel/ankles - this would prevent the foot from sliding out of place, and balance the pressure along the foot making it more comfortable and precise.

@Leahy
I'm not sure what benefit there would be to using both feet, as a single devices could control all directional movements (forward/reverse, strafing, and turning). Did you have something else in mind?
It would certainly work just fine with one foot as opposed to two, the difference in using two feet is for strafing and I would swap the left and right directions. In other words when you strafe naturally to the right you push to the left side with your left foot. I could very well be off on this idea it makes sense kinestheically to me
While I couldn't say for sure, it would seem like using one foot for strafing and the other foot for forward/reverse/turning would be a little tricky, or at least less intuitive than using one. I'd like to know what others think about this.

See, I would want to press with the right side of my foot to strafe right. Of course, there's no reason why this couldn't be swappable in software.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Mystify »

MSat wrote:See, I would want to press with the right side of my foot to strafe right. Of course, there's no reason why this couldn't be swappable in software.
And thus another great divide was rent into gaming, as vast as the divide between inverted and non-inverted controls.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by Leahy »

MSat wrote:
While I couldn't say for sure, it would seem like using one foot for strafing and the other foot for forward/reverse/turning would be a little tricky, or at least less intuitive than using one. I'd like to know what others think about this.
I agree having each leg with a different function would be less than intuitive. I was looking at those pressure sensors and thought that it might be better to make a pad you overlay on the back of a chair to sense shoulder movement for turning that way the foot/feet are dedicated to movement. It shouldn't be too difficult to put together, too bad I am no programmer. I might try anyway, would you guys suggest using Arduino?
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

Leahy wrote:
MSat wrote:
While I couldn't say for sure, it would seem like using one foot for strafing and the other foot for forward/reverse/turning would be a little tricky, or at least less intuitive than using one. I'd like to know what others think about this.
I agree having each leg with a different function would be less than intuitive. I was looking at those pressure sensors and thought that it might be better to make a pad you overlay on the back of a chair to sense shoulder movement for turning that way the foot/feet are dedicated to movement. It shouldn't be too difficult to put together, too bad I am no programmer. I might try anyway, would you guys suggest using Arduino?

The benefit I see with limiting controls purely to a foot controller is that not only could you use it while both sitting or standing, you still could have your upper body free for motion tracking. A pad that you set on the backrest of a chair would prevent that.

I can't comment on an Arduino, as I never used it. I usually prefer the Parallax Propeller for quick prototyping. The Parallax forums also contain some brilliant programmers that can seemingly answer any programming question you could throw at them.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by SirNikkolas »

Sorry I'm kind of late to this discussion, but what about an already pre-built foot controller. Flight sims use controllers like this
http://www.sportys.com/Pilotshop/product/11892 which have each pedal able to press down, and both feet can slide back and forth. I have one, and tried to use it for battlefield one time, but couldn't get it working properly.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

Well, you could probably use it for turning or strafing. That particular one claims to have a toe brake, so if that's analog, you might *possibly* be able to use if for forwards/reverse, but I doubt it's very ideal.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by STRZ »

The idea i have is based on a Kneeling like ergonomic computer chair for about 32€

Image

Image

http://www.amazon.de/Computer-Kniestuhl ... cr_pr_pb_i

You'd need to mount it to a surface and add a pedal on each side for your feet to slip in. The pedal control mechanism is based on a sort of jogwheel, similar to what DJ's use for digital scratching.

Image

This part of the controller is used to change the direction ingame, by pressing down the pedal with your heel and making contact with the jogwheel and using the movement capabilities of your foot ankle, having contact you move your foot to the side to turn the character ingame, or push the jowheel into a direction and lifting/stopping it again, to perform bigger and precise turns.

For the other foot a pedal for WASD movement, again using the natural movement capabilities which is moving to the sides and up and down, maybe based on a sort of omnidirectional ball bearing. This part isn't very clear yet.

The advantage of the kneeling chair approach is the freedom of movenent of the upper body for aiming and doing stuff with your hands, the ergonomic seating position and low cost compared to a good computer chair. The joghwheel, once you get the feeling for pushing down and lifting the pedal on it, could be superior to what mouse users can do. Combined with a good pedal for WASD, and the autonomous aiming and headtracking with the other stuff, it could be a killer combo!
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by MSat »

Been thinking about this some more lately, and have a feeling that using strain sensors would be tricky to implement for several reasons. I'm now doubting that it's the way to go.

The biggest problem I had with the design where the platform articulated somewhere around the middle of the foot was that it was difficult to maintain a neutral foot position. Even if I were to use something like a centering spring, I figured it would require too much effort to overcome, and would therefore be uncomfortable. Even in the case where the teetering motions were imperceptible by the use of strain gauges, the inherent issue of finding the neutral area would still remain.

One solution to that problem might be teeter from the ends, rather than around the center. This way, the neutral position is always level, no matter how the weight is distributed along the bottom of the foot. Now lets say you wanted to move forwards; you would lift the heel of your foot, but your toes would only move along the angle of your foot, but not vertically. Reverse would be the opposite, your toes would move vertically, but not your heel. I'm till trying to figure a simple implementation that also allows for adjustments to accommodate different foot sizes.
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Re: A "foot controller" for VR games: could it work?

Post by STRZ »

Msat, you're talking about WASD movement here right? Because the mechanism for turning with the other foot won't have the problem if its disc/pedal based. neutral position = not apllying force to the pedal (pedal beeing held back by a spring)

For WASD, if the neutral position equals the natural position where your foot is most relaxed, (90° angle in relation to your lower leg) i think you'll naturally find and hold this position easy. You could also calibrate the pedal in a way that you have headroom in the natural position until a movement is triggered. Try it by moving your foot in the air into all possible directions only by the ankle of your foot, you'll notice that you come back to the 90° position automatically.

if you're in a normal desk seating position and have the weight of your legs come into play, i think it would make sense to shift the ball bearing closer to the heel.
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