Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 8 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 445 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Viewer Challange: Magnetic mouse/joystick base for games like Battlefield 3

Former Member

Ok, I was watching old episodes of Prototype This! on Netflix and an idea sprang up into my head.

 

A mouse that uses a magnetic sensor instead of a light, and the base can double as a joystick for hopping in and out of vehicles, or playing flight sims.

 

I know of a couple difficulties, 1 would be button presses, the other would be a way to keep the joystick from sliding over the surface.

 

Maybe have it tethered to the base when you switch the mouse out, have a small bay of extra buttons and toggles for various commands that can be programmed within windows?

 

I have nearly no experiance with electronics, but I think that same bug that got you has gotten me, this would be an interesting idea that would benifit many PC gamers.

 

Thanks in advance.

  • 0

    I don't think I understand.  The base is like a magnetic mousepad and the mouse uses magnetic sensors to track across it, and joystick, is this a joystick that slides across the base like the mouse, but is joystick shaped?  Or is it a standard joystick that somehow connects to the magnetic mousepad and doesn't really use the pad?

  • 0 in reply to colecago

    Think about it like this.

     

    There is a base, the size of a standard mouse pad, possibly longer and a little wider. Below the pad is the magnetic sensor, the mouse is the magnet. Additionally, there are connections around the mousepad where a joystick can be set over the sensor, more or less making it a regular joystick.

     

    Im kind of envisioning this as a modular device, where you can replace the "Mouse" with other things, like maybe a small steering wheel. At the top is another modular spot, which can house more buttons, or a cradle for a iphone/ipad tablet...thing. I have a Kindle Fire, so it would be interesting to have a mount where it can sit in landscape mode and I can, say, put up a digital map of an area, or use a free, open source program like touchbuddy to send commands to my pc via lan.

     

    I actually drew a picture, but my scanner is being persnickity because were out of ink...but...it "could" be an interesting idea. Ill play with google sketch-up or something to give a 3d rendering of my idea.

  • 0

    So it's a portable mouse held in place by magnets?

     

    Could be useful for living room "Steam Box" gaming.

  • 0

    It sounds like you're trying to re-invent the wheel so to speak.  Instead of using optics for the mouse tracking, you think that magnetics would be better? There are devices out there already called Linear Variable Differential Transformer or LVDT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVDT

     

    This is basically the principal you'd need to make your design work.  I'd have to say that it usually requires a series of coils and measures the magnetic interference of the current flowing through those coils to give you an analog signal which can then be scaled with math and a known length variable to determine a position.  This is not a very easily implemented solution for a "mouse" like device and I don't believe that it will be as accurate as an optical sensor either.  Or am I not interpreting your design correctly?

  • 0 in reply to timryder

    Kinda, not really reinventing, just trying to make a multiple use "mouse" pad. The main idea is Im also a flight simmer and dont like the idea of having to lug out a huge joystick and HOTAS whenever you wanted to fly.

     

    Steam Box gaming would be awesome! I never even thought of that. The "mouse" could be wireless, just plug the reciever into whatever system you want or would be compatable.

     

    Basically, my idea is to make a mouse you could use from your couch or chair, have very few moving parts and be modular so you could expand for your gaming needs. The mouse itself technically could be any kind of mouse, I though the magnetic sensor or however the joystick would interface with the base unit would use  the same sensor, basically doubling the usefulness of the pad.

     

    Anyway, its an idea that I think would be interesting if we can work out the details. I really like the idea for the tablet mount so I can put my tablet near my fingertips.

     

    Just think, playing Battlefield 3 running around in FPS mode then jump into a jet or helicopter, instead of moving a big joystick around on your desk, you just plop down the joystick, connecting it in the holes on the base and your flying. When your done, move to the mouse and off you go!

  • 0

    Why? ok, ok, you what to be different. image How bout we use 'e-field' tech.. its basically two loops of wire, one wound clock-wise, and the other contra-***-wise. then you put the loops in to a OP-AMP and then into A/D converter

    got it?

    2 loops, 2 op-amps, 2 a/d converters.

    now your puck (finger) would unbalance this and you can figure out (a little math) where you are in X/Y

    neat yes..

    no fuss, no muss

    this same thing is used in high security fences. hell I used it in a laser-tag game that we built and sent to Japan in the early 80's with this will know where you are in the room. image

     

    Enjoy?

    Cris H. image

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    What about a mousepad that contains a wireless usb hub (probably at the top of the pad to not interfere with wrist).  You use a wireless mouse with receiver plugged into either the wireless hub or your computer, then when you want to use your joystick, you move the mouse off the pad, stick your joystick on, hook the usb into the wireless hub and you're good to go.  You can add things such as clips or something on the sides to hold your joystick in a more firm manner.