Aviation 4/10/11

Help for integrating flight gear with vuzix http://www.mygnu.de/index.php/tag/3d/

Augmented Reality Programming - 4/2/2011

I am currently able to detect if the user is looking left or right and at what degree s/he is looking in that direction. I would like to be able to have a box that changes colors based on where the user is looking. Once that is working, I would then like to use a gradient to detect the user's movement to make it seem more seamless.

3-19 Success!

Got the awesome aircraft add on working, so we now have a flying plane (^_^). I only tested it out slightly but it does work, you change the wings with WASD and lift/go forward with the mouse, and I want to change this to the other way around because its more intuitive. This should mean I can get something to show at the Innovation fair! Anyway, thats all for now folks.

3/13/2011 - Augmented Reality

Today we were able to manipulate some of the code related to the Augmented Reality. This is a foreshadowing of what we will be able to do through our game being created by the Software team led by Ryan Maloney. Our end goal is this: Create a small area that surround the user that will display the "screen" through augmented reality technology and to enable the accelerometer so that the user can move their head and have the augmented reality glasses display the proper direction.

Here is a picture of the solid works model. This is a slightly older version, but the concept is the same (instead of three linear actuators we are using four...one at each corner).

Mechanical Team Update

So we now have a finalized design and we have built a working model in Solidworks. The model is almost complete; we still need to add the footpan and the yaw support ring. Basically, the machine will be supported in the center by a piston-spring mechanism, and a ring-shaped track of near-frictionless wheels. Both of which we will build on our own once we have all the proper materials. The roll and pitch are controlled by linear actuators on each corner between the platforms, while the yaw is driven by a motorized wheel that is in contact with the lower base. The machine is very stable and supported in all areas. We are expecting a maximum load of approximately 300 pounds. With all the composite material being used, the whole device should not exceed 150 pounds. We are all looking forward to start building. The first composite part, the footpan, will be built by next weekend. Our next main objective is to buy material for making the mold (including aluminum sheeting and aluminum tape), building the mold this Saturday, and laying up the part Sunday or early next week.

Game Design and Augmented Reality Teams

The following are some of the goals that the Game Design Team is working on:

1) Game Map
- The map will be very basic
- The terrain, at first, will be flat with some trees and perhaps a couple of buildings
- The airport will be a single tower with a runway that is long enough so that the plane can
get off the ground without overshooting it
2) Game Plane
- The plane will have a high resolution cockpit for 1st person mode
- The plane will have a low resolution cockpit with a high resolution exterior for 3rd
person mode

The following are the technical goals:

1) Level Design on paper
2) Working on code manipulation
3) Working on code that will import our own objects
4) Designing the 3d models that will be imported
5) Working on flight simulator physics

The following are some of the goals that the Augmented Reality Team is working on:

1) Download all software required to view, use, and alter code
2) Run sample code and understand what is going on with the code
3) Connect the Vuzix glasses to the game (Microsoft Flight Sim X and our own NeoAxis game)
- Access the accelerometer
- Access the external Camera
4) The final goal is to create a half and half display meaning this:
- If the user is looking at the predesignated spots, the game appears, if the user is looking
at the other spots, they see reality.
5) Get our hands on the new Vuzix Wrap 920AR glasses.


All code needs to be well documented and a readme will be created for both teams so that future teams have an easier time with the programming.

Documentation for Programming Team 1/8/2011

Figured out how the .cs files relate to the resources.
Edited a helicopter
Recompiled the game project and got NeoAxis to run again after doing
so something I have not been able to do before.
Talked about our feelings. Lot was discovered.

Letter for Funding from the Innovation Center

Aviation and Pilot Club

Flight Simulator

I. Abstract

The Aviation and Pilot Club has already built a prototype electrical-mechanical flight simulator. The club will continue to create and innovate by building a working electrical-mechanical flight simulator, flight simulation software, integrating that software with augmented reality, and developing a business plan so that the club can commercialize this product. The project time frame is 2010 Sept. 07 – 2014 Sept. 07. This project plan discusses the work to be done from 2010 Sept. 07 – 2011 May 07.

II. Club History

Flight simulators were originally designed to train pilots in the US Military. The Military had taken over the air mail routes but due to unfamiliarity with the controls, there were a number of crashes causing many deaths. The US Military looked to Link Trainers to help prepare these pilots to fly the new planes. The love for flight and general aviation that is shared amongst the members of this club is the main reason that we pulled together to start building flight simulators. We, like Link Trainers, are hoping to build a device that exhibits innovation, dedication, and hard work. The club was started last year (2009) when ten students got together for our first meeting. We sat down outside of Java Bean in the SAU and talked about planes for a couple hours. After our first meeting, we decided that we wanted more than just a get together of Aviation Enthusiasts. We decided to book a room and start talking about being a club. Our first few meetings were in building 1 in random rooms. Although our group started to grow, we were still not satisfied. We decided that what we needed was a project. The flight simulator was the obvious choice. It allowed us to work on something that we love and at the same time learn so much. It was also within our first year annual budget. We built the flight simulator in three months, with three people, for under 1300 USD. We presented at ImagineRIT and we were able to meet two of our four goals. We finished the flight simulator in time and we stayed under 1500 USD; However, we were unable to seat anyone on the flight simulator nor were we able to implement yaw because of the cost.

III. Issues and Solutions

One of the main issues that exist within our club is that we can not afford to go through flight training and RIT refuses to be associated with flight training of any kind. With this new flight simulator, we can cut down the cost of flight training by about 1000 USD per member. That is ten hours of flight that can be trained on the simulator. Another issue solved by this project was the ability to utilize the different abilities of our members to work together and accomplish something. This flight simulator has taken time and dedication of our members and will continue to take time and dedication. Projects are a way to focus a person on productive tasks and ignore other dangerous or foolish activities.

IV. Goals

There are three different groups to this project. There is a hardware group, a game design group, and a business group. Each own a piece of this project in their own respective field.

The hardware group can be broken down into two groups. The Mechanical Engineering group and the Electrical Engineering group. The goals of the Mechanical Engineering group is to design and construct the mechanical flight simulator to include at least three degrees of freedom, structural tests and to attend a conference to explain the mechanical portion of the project along with any innovative ideas that they have used on the project. The Electrical Engineering group is working to apply the HCS12 FreeScale Micro-controller to last years prototype and then to this years flight simulator. This includes writing drivers for any input device to function with the micro-controller and any code to interact with the motors/actuators on the flight simulator. The code is being written in assembly. The Electrical Engineering group is already signed up for a FreeScale Micro-controller Symposium for Thursday, November 4, 2010.

The Game Design group also has two groups. The programming group and the art group. The programming group is going to use the NeoAxis IDE on top of the OGRE 3D gaming engine. This software still requires c++ style coding but allows for easier building of levels. The programming group is also looking at using Vuzix glasses and coding for the implementation of Augmented Reality instead of using a monitor. The art group will design and build the models, the terrain, and any other artistic requirements for the simulation software. The goal here is to create realistic flight simulation software that can compete with Microsoft Flight Simulator X and to further develop augmented reality technology so that the user feels more involved in the environment.

Finally, the Business Group is designing a business plan to compete in events like the Shark Tank at RIT and I2P (Ideation to Product) competition at the University of Texas in Austin.

V. Financial and Material Needs

This year, we have decided to use a system of motorized pulleys, a turntable, and near frictionless rails. The initial cost analysis has been deemed around 4500 USD for the mechanical and electrical portions and educational solid-works. This does not include any additional computers, computer software, Vuzix glasses, or any other unforeseen materials. A more detailed cost analysis will be completed before the end of midterms for the Winter quarter.

VI. Why you should fund us

The Innovation Center has been an integral part of this project as far as funding, space, and materials are concerned. With a successful prototype complete and a surge in the membership of the club, we are ready to build a usable model. This usable model will be on display in the Innovation Center and will help to promote the activities that take place in the Innovation Center. It will also serve as an object that will pull new projects into the Innovation Center. This project falls under one of the missions of the Innovation Center. That would be to create a product that can be commercialized and makes financial sense. This flight simulator saves anyone who uses it for ten hours of there flight time, that can be put towards a private pilots certification, around 1,000 USD.

VII. Conclusion

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this letter. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via phone or email.

_________________________ _________________________

Ryan Woods Ryan Rawlins

Aviation and Pilot Club Aviation and Pilot Club

President Treasurer

(832)594-1376

rcw1407@rit.edu