Head mounted display, anyone?

[xmech2k]

I was thinking of building a cockpit, but now I'm also wondering about simply getting a head mounted disply with a head motion tracker, then using a HOTAS setup and the Shoot speech recognition program, the keyboard would not be needed. In FS's virtual cockpit mode, this seems like it might be an easier, low space, and maybe a little lower budget solution. Has anyone here tried this out yet? I posted a similar post yesterday in the hardware forums and no one has answered. I can't imagine this hasn't been tried yet.

Thanks,
Tom

[MikePowell]

Tom,

There are high end military systems that are similar to what you describe. The physical cockpit is bare bones with unpopulated instrument panels. The virtual image seen by the flight crew paints the unpopulated panels with instruments consistent with the aircraft model they are being trained in.

It takes a fair amount of computer horsepower to keep the virtual images positioned properly as the users move their heads. Incongruities in image positions and timing can result in simulator induced motion sickness. This is particularly true if the simulator makes use of a motion base.

I don't know of any hobbyist who has successfully built up such a system. However... computers are getting faster and cheaper. Give it a try. Perhaps you'll be the first.

Mike
www.mikesflightdeck.com

[TornadoWilkes]

Not sure that Tom is referring to a mixed setup (i.e. virtual overlayed upon real cockpit??) Are you Tom, in fact simply talking about a closed headset with two screens inside? I've thought of this myself, however wouldn't know the cost, or how well they perform?

In addition, I've yet to hear anyone who's done this.

[xmech2k]

Wow! I'm amazed this hasn't been tried! I'm not trying to do this with an 'unpopulated' cockpit as mentioned above. Simply the HMD for the view and freedom to look around. Do a search on 'head mounted display' and you'll find a few manufacturers who make them, and with a little more searching, the head tracking devices as well. I've seen HMDs from $300, but it looks like the $900 to $1200 are better due to higher resolution, as well as 3D capability. (Also wonder if that's possible in FS9 virtual cockpit view.) Also the image size is an issue. For example, they might say the image is the equivalent of a 70" screen viewed from 13 feet away.

I'm already almost key board-free as mentioned above, just some fine tuning to be rid of that.

It seems like such a natural extension to the virtual cockpit. It's still a bit up in the air, and a bit under funded ;-) , but I'll post back here if and when I get something going.

Thanks,
Tom

[xmech2k]

Well, in case anyone's paying attention, not only has someone e-mailed me suggesting HMD's aren't that great to begin with (I haven't been able to try one yet), but I found a web-site discussing the type of system I was thinking about, and it says that set up is a recipe for motion sickness. (Well, someone did mention that a few posts above, but not as strongly as this site I saw.) Of the few people who don't get motion sickness from it, they wind up getting motion sick in the 'real world' from training their brains to work in the virtual world.

On to the giant fresnel lense!

[flyingcadet2004]

With a HMD that does not cover up all of the users periferal vision, this system would be very reliable and will give a wonderful gaming/simming experience. With the TrackIR and Vector combo, the only things that need to come down in price are the HMD's. This is the very setup that I'll have once I get the funds to build a new PC (one more year most likely) and purcase the HMD's (I won't settle for anything under 800x600 resolution).

I have one friend that has the HMD but no the head tracker, and I have tried his system. once the head tracker is involved, it will the best gaming system owned by one civilian. But for me, it is the HMD that will be the most expensive piece.