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Spitfire Project Part 3 (Read 4356 times)
Reply #30 - Jan 22nd, 2005 at 7:30am

funhouse   Offline
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So, how are you going to get all of this to interface with your computer? .


customhybrid,
                      The technical side of the project is being worked on by the other guy involved in the project, I just do the easy stuff. Most of the cockpit systems are simple switching functions, by that i mean either on or off. Osram from the BoB development group has been kind enough to offer his help to the project, and will adapt the BoB flight sim program to bring the Spitfire cockpit to life. Below are a few words on the subject Osram was kind enough to write for the website.
The following information was very kindly written and supplied by Osram from the BoB DG

"With modern flight Sims like BoB, the flight model, weapons model etc are extremely realistic. Apart from the missing danger of death or serious injury, which is one reason to fly simulators, the remaining source for reduced realism is input/output. When using standard PC equipment like a monitor, mouse, keyboard and joystick, especially if you want to learn how to operate a WWII warbird and have the satisfying feeling that you would be able to take off in one in real life, you need a cockpit with working levers, switches, and gauges. This means that the switch settings are transferred into the simulation and once the simulation has calculated the new situation of the plane the values are transferred into the gauges.
With situation I mean things like speed, orientation, engine temperature and 100s of other details.

Let's get a bit more technical:
The BoB.exe could itself poll the hardware for switch positions etc. Since different 'pits will have a different layout in the computer's memory, the program source would need to be tweaked. A modern day entertainment sim is one of the most complex computer programs around and to force each sim 'pit builder to tweak and recompile it and use the tools that BoB needs would be a bad thing.

So, the idea is to have a 2nd, very small and easy to understand program that translates between the hardware and one interface that the BoB.exe understands. Such an interface already existed in the form of the memory-mapped files used by Falcon 4. The memory-mapped interface has no disadvantage via other methods like using a DLL. But by using it we make it easy for people that already worked with it for Falcon. We are able to use it, since "Eagle eye" kindly gave us his permission.

The core technology works and was tested with a small example exe that "simulates" the hardware. To use this in practice, all we need to do is add all the variables that a specific hardware needs, IOW all the gauges and switches to the interface."

Hope that answers some of your questions.

Dave
 
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Reply #31 - Jan 22nd, 2005 at 3:28pm

funhouse   Offline
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I managed to finish off the jettison fuel cock control assembly today, so another part to cross off the list  Grin.

Dave
« Last Edit: Oct 10th, 2005 at 8:29pm by funhouse »  
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Reply #32 - Jan 23rd, 2005 at 8:34pm

TacitBlue   Offline
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yeah, I understand... I think. thanks for the quick reply. I know everyone has already said it, but that looks like real airplane parts. just...wow!
 

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Reply #33 - Jan 25th, 2005 at 2:10am
Flt.Lt.Andrew   Ex Member

 
Thats because they are!

A.
 
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Reply #34 - Jan 30th, 2005 at 6:27pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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My moneys on that late one night Funhouse thought "I know! I'll build a Spitfire panel for my Flight Sim!" And of course from there he had to make the windscreen, that needed the canopy, which needed the cockpit, which needed the wings, which needed the fuselarge, which needed the engine which then turned into a real plane... Right? Grin
 

Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #35 - Jan 30th, 2005 at 8:51pm

funhouse   Offline
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Quote:
My moneys on that late one night Funhouse thought "I know! I'll build a Spitfire panel for my Flight Sim!" And of course from there he had to make the windscreen, that needed the canopy, which needed the cockpit, which needed the wings, which needed the fuselarge, which needed the engine which then turned into a real plane... Right? Grin


Not a bad effort Woodlouse  Grin.
But the intention was to build the whole cockpit section from the start. Both myself and "Bricklayer" (who is the other guy involved in the project, and doing all the clever stuff i.e. designing the realistic force feed back system) decided that using such a system would generate forces far to large for a  conventional wood construction pit. So after more hours than i care to think about spent looking on the internet for technical information, work began on the pit  in may 2004, trying follow factory construction methods as much as possible.
Cheers,
Dave
 
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Reply #36 - Jan 31st, 2005 at 9:30pm

TacitBlue   Offline
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hey, Ive got another question. is this gonna be a full motion pit? (sorry if its been asked) oh, and can I come over and try it out when your done?  Grin
 

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Reply #37 - Feb 1st, 2005 at 5:17am

funhouse   Offline
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hey, Ive got another question. is this gonna be a full motion pit? (sorry if its been asked) oh, and can I come over and try it out when your done?  Grin


Hi customhybrid,
                          making a motion platform has been researched in depth, but brings it's own problems. one main problem with motion platforms is visual/motion cueing, if not perfectly sychronised (we are talking m/s) it will induce sickness in a very short time. This is one of the reasons why real 6 DOF motion platforms are so expensive.
There are other ways to give flight cues in a simulator, visual cues being one of them, another system i will be using to simulate "G" is a harness tensioning system, this will work from reading data from the flight sim. On my last cockpit i had a real "G" suit system working by reading flight data from Falcon 4 and using compressed air to drive the "G" suit. I would also add, i did obtain medical advice before using that system, as i had no wish to crush my legs. The "G" suit was operated at 7psi, and also had two dump valves fitted for safety.

So there are other ways that can give flight cues with out using a motion platform. If anyone is interested, i can supply some very good links to websites that go into motion cueing for simulators in great depth.

regards,
Dave
 
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Reply #38 - Feb 9th, 2005 at 9:12am

AlphaBravo   Offline
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sh*t thats
amazing


Craig
 

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Reply #39 - Feb 9th, 2005 at 6:07pm

funhouse   Offline
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Latest items made for the project are the oxygen control valve and the chassis emergency control assembly. The Co2 bottle for the chassis assembly when made will complete that assembly.
Dave
« Last Edit: Oct 10th, 2005 at 8:29pm by funhouse »  
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Reply #40 - Feb 10th, 2005 at 4:10am
Flt.Lt.Andrew   Ex Member

 
Holy dodgeball!
Thats awesome!
Are you under divine inspiration?
Great carp on the tree!

A.
 
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Reply #41 - Feb 16th, 2005 at 6:00pm

funhouse   Offline
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The emergency chassis control assembly is now complete, also finished is the voltage regulator.

Dave
« Last Edit: Oct 10th, 2005 at 8:29pm by funhouse »  
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Reply #42 - Feb 17th, 2005 at 6:02am

ozzy72   Offline
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Very impressive Dave, but does the voltage regulator work?
 

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Reply #43 - Feb 17th, 2005 at 6:07am

funhouse   Offline
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Hi Ozzy,
             No, just like me, it's a dummy  Grin.
Dave
 
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