mofo's entry for the Novint Falcon Grip Challenge

[mofo]

Zero Contact

My design for a new controller stems from my initial perceptions of using a Novint Falcon. I encountered difficulty with moving the grip while depressing buttons. Moving the grip requires at least two fingers while trying to play twister with the buttons.

Zero Contact will allow the controller to follow your hand without gripping the controller at all, leaving your fingers free to button mash continuously. Pulling your hand back, the controller pulls back. push your palm forward the controller pushes forward.

The worklog begins:

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5370/20100606185257.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/20100606185257.jpg/)

The first step was to trace my hand.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2527/20100615111721.th.jpg (http://img534.imageshack.us/i/20100615111721.jpg/)

Next the controller was disassembled.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7499/20100607203311.th.jpg (http://img688.imageshack.us/i/20100607203311.jpg/)
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/2527/20100607203322.th.jpg (http://img683.imageshack.us/i/20100607203322.jpg/)
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7981/20100607203352.th.jpg (http://img337.imageshack.us/i/20100607203352.jpg/)
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3995/20100607203359.th.jpg (http://img252.imageshack.us/i/20100607203359.jpg/)

Next the glove was...

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/7387/20100614154019.th.jpg (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/20100614154019.jpg/)

Disassembled.

That's enough for today.
More tomorrow.

[d_stilgar]

Nice start! I have a pretty straightforward plan for one. I'll get going on it this week. Also, it looks like the mods want these worklogs in the Misc Projects section. I'll go change my post where I said otherwise.

[mofo]

Update Day 2:

In yesterday's update, I forgot to mention that the glove I intended to order was large. However, the glove I actually ordered was extra small. As a modder this is only a slight set back, I'll simply mod the glove.

http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/7533/20100615122640.th.jpg (http://img686.imageshack.us/i/20100615122640.jpg/)

I added a strip of elastic to each finger.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/591/20100615111616.th.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/20100615111616.jpg/)
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4474/20100615111625.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/20100615111625.jpg/)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7056/20100615122445.th.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/i/20100615122445.jpg/)

The aluminum sheet was cut out and bent into an ergonomic shape.

I always like projects where there is less info and more suspense, so although this isn't the most intriguing project, I'm hoping to leave as much of the future in the future as possible.

[x88x]

Interesting. I think I can see where you're going with this, and it looks like a good idea. I'm happy to say mine is completely different though. ;) (coming soon)

[mofo]

So after a long enough wait, progress...

http://a.imageshack.us/img217/4543/20100726183326.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/i/20100726183326.jpg/)

I drilled holes for the switch mounting; pointer, middle, ring, and thumb.

http://a.imageshack.us/img688/4965/20100727190325.jpg (http://img688.imageshack.us/i/20100727190325.jpg/)

I also smoothed the holes where the stock switches were.

Next up is finishing the glove sewing, painting the hand, making the mount for the hand (removable), and final wiring.

Right, this is due SUNDAY...

[d_stilgar]

Nice progress! I'm going to be moving the end of the contest out another month, but don't let that keep you from doing some work on it every day!

[x88x]

Procrastinators unite! Thanks for the extra month d_stiglar. :D Hopefully other entries will pop up as well. It's less fun when there's so little competition. :(

*disclaimer: don't flip out, mofo, I was referring to the number of entries, not the quality ;)

[mofo]

RAGE !!!!!! x88x is so mean!

cool some extra time could be good (but don't tell me so I actually finish it by sun)

[mofo]

So my mod is complete!

Now to make the video

Since my last update...
I smoothed the surface of the ball grip
http://a.imageshack.us/img155/7058/20100727190313.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/i/20100727190313.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img828/4965/20100727190325.th.jpg (http://img828.imageshack.us/i/20100727190325.jpg/)

A plastic spacer, threaded insert and a glob of jb weld make the mounting piece
http://a.imageshack.us/img408/3428/img20100815202407.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/img20100815202407.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img834/6895/img20100815202538.th.jpg (http://img834.imageshack.us/i/img20100815202538.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img831/3428/img20100815202407.th.jpg (http://img831.imageshack.us/i/img20100815202407.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img340/9991/img20100815202447.th.jpg (http://img340.imageshack.us/i/img20100815202447.jpg/)

And lastly the wiring was begun
http://a.imageshack.us/img839/1502/img20100825193942.th.jpg (http://img839.imageshack.us/i/img20100825193942.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img265/9886/img20100825193936.th.jpg (http://img265.imageshack.us/i/img20100825193936.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img541/4518/img20100825193928.th.jpg (http://img541.imageshack.us/i/img20100825193928.jpg/)

Hopefully tonight I'll show the finished product and my video! :whistler:

[mofo]

Here is the finished product

The left is the original glove and the right is the modded glove
http://a.imageshack.us/img521/5318/img20100829214758.th.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/i/img20100829214758.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img836/7834/img20100829214812.th.jpg (http://img836.imageshack.us/i/img20100829214812.jpg/)

The plate and ball
http://a.imageshack.us/img843/9429/img20100830004213.th.jpg (http://img843.imageshack.us/i/img20100830004213.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img705/6034/img20100830004121.th.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/img20100830004121.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img576/7907/img20100830004114.th.jpg (http://img576.imageshack.us/i/img20100830004114.jpg/)

The two assembled
http://a.imageshack.us/img405/6061/img20100830003817.th.jpg (http://img405.imageshack.us/i/img20100830003817.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img689/3954/img20100830003759.th.jpg (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/img20100830003759.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img818/7183/img20100830003749.th.jpg (http://img818.imageshack.us/i/img20100830003749.jpg/)
The pcb was left exposed so when you didn't have your hand in the controller the buttons could still be easily depressed.

With a hand in it
http://a.imageshack.us/img716/2908/img20100830003638.th.jpg (http://img716.imageshack.us/i/img20100830003638.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img163/204/img20100830004014.th.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/img20100830004014.jpg/)
http://a.imageshack.us/img408/5713/img20100830004006.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/img20100830004006.jpg/)

I want to thank Novint and Falcon Army as well as TBCS for hosting this contest I have had alot of fun making this controller and win or lose was glad to mod!

Now to make the video and show you all how easy Zero Contact is to use.

(thanks for the extensions they have really made the contest more fun and competitive)

[mofo]

Here are the videos...

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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOkvJ2FXYUk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOkvJ2FXYUk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[d_stilgar]

Woah! :eek: That's really cool! Make sure you register at the falcon army if you haven't yet and you should put the worklog there too. That's really awesome!

[mofo]

Was trolling the entries and realized my main video for the contest was gone :dead:
Awesome. I am reuploading it as I type. Hopefully, the guys judging saw it at some point :)

edit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI6dwmzzhrA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI6dwmzzhrA

Fingers crossed they saw this...

[d_stilgar]

Very nice. I'm going to email again today since it's been another week and see where we are in getting a winner announced.