[simpits-tech] Force Feedback Controls...

[Matt Bailey]

On Saturday 03 January 2004 05:32 pm, you wrote:
> Hi Stuart,
>
> > Had anyone looked at or considered ripping apart a force feedback
> > joystick in order to get force feedback on the pit controls?
>
> I've been thinking about it, but I have quickly abandoned idea. The
> driving motors are way to small, and lack "power" needed to generate
> appropriate force (up to 300 N, on a stick cca 50cm long).
>
> Another problem that should be thought of is the _time_ needed to
> generate force; it should be as small as possible, i.e. stronger the
> motor, the better. Joystick motors are not capable of fulfilling this
> requirement either.

	That's what I was thinking. There's the possibility of using voltage to the 
motor as just a control, controlling a stronger rig, but like I said, FF 
effects in today's sims aren't really worth it anyway.

> I'd prefer to have complete "servo system" that will follow the
> calculated force (as a driving signal). Force should be calculated using
> separate program running in real time on a PC, with flight data from the
> flsim program as input, together with position (and speed) of the stick.
> (<- this _was_ a long sentence :)

	Oh I dunno, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be part of the main sim. 
In fact if the flight model took control forces into account inherently, it 
would be a cinch to get them to the FF device plus it would be a lot tidier 
and probably work better than trying to make the effects in a seperate app. 
Too bad no current sim considers these forces. :/
	Of course reverse engineering a flight model to derive a basic parameter 
like control force is very messy I'm sure, so from that standpoint a seperate 
app might be better (so the sim itself doesn't have to be bothered with the 
mess, flight model data will be just what the flight model is actually doing).

	-Matt Bailey