TrackIR history? Rift tech for free

[Dakpilot]

A new development by Elite players using Rift type gyro for head tracking device open source and components under 10 pounds! sounds too good to be true   

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4hyMbHpl18

 

smaller PCB as shown in vid now available

 

No more IR no worries about lighting etc., this could be huge!! only downside is usb connection' but wireless and Bluetooth tech are tiny so who knows in the future

 

http://edtracker.org.uk/

 

http://hobbycomponents.com/index.php/diy-head-tracker-bundle.html

 

Perhaps by the time BoS goes gold this will be fully available

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Dakpilot]

BoS allows joystick input for head movement  just tested, so good to go, the edtracker will just be picked up as another device

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[VikingFjord]

for me perhaps in the future for now i use Trackir
i dont like to be the first to jump on those tech things
i like things that is tested and is known to working

[Zappatime]

This EdTracker unit, total build cost about £15, works really well in il2BOS ( as well as Elite:Dangerous). The newly released improved GUI, greatly simplifies calibration and set-up. The device is very simple to use and reset in game. If youre even half tempted, then give it a go, for the money it's a no-brainer. I've set up one of my hat switches on my X55 to move head left/right (to lean out of cockpit), plus a couple of buttons on the stick itself for zoom in/out.

 

Piccy of my unit mounted on my headset (mounted in a tight-fitting diy plasticard housing - the reset switch is flush with the housing top and accessed from an oversized opening in the housing's top cover, so that it can't be accidentally caught):

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Really interesting! For sure would get one if possible. 20€ vs 150€ is a no-brainer.

[Zappatime]

At the moment the unit has 3 DOF (yaw, pitch and roll axes) with this translating into head movements of just left/right and up/down, tilting (cocking) your head sideways registers on the input in windows game controller properties, but obviously doesnt register this movement in game as its not used.

 

The other three degrees of movement that TrackIR gives you (forward/backward, move sideways left/ right and move up/down) are not available with this unit, but I recall there was some talk on the E:D forums about possible future versions, also a bluetooth enabled version, could be possible - but if youve got an X52pro or X55, say, then its easy to set up buttons/ hat switch movements to readily emulate these other 3DOF.

 

I'm surprised Frontier (the Elite:Dangerous developer) hasn't snapped it up as a minor kickstarter type venture, its so easy to use and of course no problems with light conditions/set up that other headtracking devices and software/ led tracking units have.

 

Building the unit is straightforward - follow the very good video 'Brumster' has done on Youtube (he's one of the 3 thats helped develop this). I'm not good at soldering and my unit worked without a hitch, so don't let that put you off! You just need a fine tipped soldering iron, sidecutter pliers and something to hold the board steady while you solder.

 

Site link: http://edtracker.org.uk

Build guide & video: http://edtracker.org.uk/index.php/building/assembly-pcb

 

As far as a housing for it, someone succesfully used a tic-tac (the tiny mint sweets/candy) box, which I'd wondered about using before I cut up and glued a few bits of plasticard.