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A Closer Look At The AimTrak (with video goodness)

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Ginsu Victim:
Speaking of PC applications, any word on a new version of the AimTrak software?

RandyT:

--- Quote from: AndyWarne on October 22, 2009, 01:08:08 pm ---Yes. If larger numbers of LEDs were used, they would need to be controlled by the gun logic so the gun would know which LED(s) it is looking at. This means the simplicity of the design is lost because a controller board would be needed and/or a PC application to control everything, plus more wiring, driver circuitry etc.

--- End quote ---

No, that's not entirely accurate.  It could also simply reverse the orientation.  To use the Aimtrak as an example, it has a row of LEDs forming a line to left and a single one on the right.  If one were to add another bar, it could have 3 evenly spaced LED's, or the line of LED's to the right instead of the left.  All of this can still be handled in firmware, without any intelligence in the lighting.

Of course, it really isn't important to know which is which, unless one needed to fire off-screen to the bottom or top.  It would simply see the LED's below the calibrated centerline and provide coordinate information as though it were the other bar.  This would be a small tradeoff if it allowed one to get closer to the screen, as a left and right "offscreen reload shot" is still possible.

RandyT

RayB:
Does this device see "rotation" too?

KissMyWookie:

--- Quote from: AndyWarne on October 22, 2009, 01:08:08 pm ---
--- Quote from: brandon on October 22, 2009, 12:56:22 pm ---
Do you think that perhaps the LEDs in arcades also blink at different frequencies so that if the camera can only see one it know which one it is based on timing?  Sort of like a lightgun and CRT?  or maybe some of the "lightguns" in arcades are ultrasonic sort of like the Power Glove...

--- End quote ---

Yes. If larger numbers of LEDs were used, they would need to be controlled by the gun logic so the gun would know which LED(s) it is looking at. This means the simplicity of the design is lost because a controller board would be needed and/or a PC application to control everything, plus more wiring, driver circuitry etc.

--- End quote ---

If there were 4 IR emitter boards, each identical and "L" shaped. They could be placed around each corner of the monitor and the gun firmware would know exactly which corner it was looking at by the orientation of the "L".

If it was done this way, distance would no longer be a factor providing at least one corner was visible. Auto calibration and linearity would be possible too.

Of course, this is too late to implement now, but might be useful in the future.

Steve

brandon:

--- Quote from: KissMyWookie on October 23, 2009, 01:57:53 am ---
--- Quote from: AndyWarne on October 22, 2009, 01:08:08 pm ---
--- Quote from: brandon on October 22, 2009, 12:56:22 pm ---
Do you think that perhaps the LEDs in arcades also blink at different frequencies so that if the camera can only see one it know which one it is based on timing?  Sort of like a lightgun and CRT?  or maybe some of the "lightguns" in arcades are ultrasonic sort of like the Power Glove...

--- End quote ---

Yes. If larger numbers of LEDs were used, they would need to be controlled by the gun logic so the gun would know which LED(s) it is looking at. This means the simplicity of the design is lost because a controller board would be needed and/or a PC application to control everything, plus more wiring, driver circuitry etc.

--- End quote ---

If there were 4 IR emitter boards, each identical and "L" shaped. They could be placed around each corner of the monitor and the gun firmware would know exactly which corner it was looking at by the orientation of the "L".

If it was done this way, distance would no longer be a factor providing at least one corner was visible. Auto calibration and linearity would be possible too.

Of course, this is too late to implement now, but might be useful in the future.

Steve


--- End quote ---

wow.. that makes way too much sense! why didn't I think of that :)how about for the ultimate add a second sensor at the back of the gun either near the "hammer" or under the "clip"  Then you could pivot the gun in place or move in perpendicular to the screen and it would always know its angle and position in 3D space buy comparing the data from two points in space. Thats getting overly complicated I know :)

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