PointCTRL - Finger Mounted VR Controller

Thanks for the update, great seeing the progress of this great device and really looking forward to getting one.

Have a great Christmas

Good to hear Miles!

 

That looks a nice straightforward design.

 

A quick question, apologies if already answered, but while watching the latest vid I wondered about if you can set a dead zone to smooth out any "wobble" with your finger when you have your arm outstretched?

Hey Ratcatcher,

Issues with a "wobbly" finger shaking the cursor usually means it's time for drink. There are a few things going on in the video that are contributing to what you observed. The first one is because of the wide angle lens that is needed for the horizontal FOV only utilizes about 30% of the sensors resolution in the vertical. I am addressing that now with optics.

Your dead-zone suggestion is a good one. I spent a significant amount of time with cursor smoothing and dead zones. Since I have already written the code for both, I will probably include them as another user option in the programming interface.

I personally found using a dead-zone made the cursor feel jumpy and made me feel a bit disconnected. The smoothing option worked great with only a slightly noticeable delay when the FCU was moved quickly over long distances. Unfortunately, this same smoothing was applied when you moved your head while attempting to press a switch. With head movement, the cursor initially moves away from the switch and then settles back over the switch 200ms later.

In the end I found it better to have a slightly shaky cursor that responded instantly. And quite honestly you are on and off the switches so quickly your hand does not seem to shake that much.

In the video I was moving the cursor in calibration mode. In calibration mode the cursor movement is slowed down because it actually flashes three positions separated by 150 pixels with a time delay. This is to let you know that you are in calibration mode and which axis you are currently calibrating. At one point I forgot I was in calibration mode and was moving switches which made the cursor jump as its supposed to. I think I may have referenced that mistake in the vid.

The cursor also appears to jump around on the canopy frame because it jumps from 3d surface to 3d surface, just like a laser pointer reflecting off objects at different distances.

Anyway, thanks for pointing it out, I always appreciate your feedback. I will talk about the resolution in the next video.

Thanks again

Miles

Very interested. Looks awesome and very intuitive. Sign me up also!

Thanks for the very comprehensive explanation Miles, much appreciated.

To be honest I wasn't overly concerned with what I was seeing but rather it reminded me of my previous experiences with using TrackIR and how sensitive the cursor can be without a proper deadzone set up, resulting in the slightest twitch sending the cursor flying around like a firefly in the night!

Sounds like you have got it covered at any rate! :thumbup:

Ive stuck a link to this thread in my signature, so hopefully that might get a few more people over here. :)

What I really love about this system is that it’s doing the bare minimum to be effective. That might sound like a negative but I see a lot of other systems that are over complex, trying to track your hands in 3D and all this jazz but at the end of the day they mostly end up being really janky systems that get in the way of flying the aircraft. What this system does (at least from the videos) is allow you to interact with the cockpit in a way that while it might not be 100% realistic is still significantly easier than using a mouse and when you’re not using the system is totally unobtrusive, and doesn’t interfere with your ability to use the HOTAS. Looks awesome :D:D

Updated List:

A

01/ aaron886

02/ AdrianK

03/ AKA_Clutter

04/ A2597

B

05/ Bankler

06/ Bearfoot

07/ BlacleyCole

08/ Bob_Bushman

C

09/ C525

10/ Cal.Iber

11/ Chic

12/ cmeliak

13/ cordite

14/ crazysundog

D

15/ DayGlow

16/ Deano87

17/ dburne

18/ DeadEnd

19/ defygravity

20/ Drakeshoot

E

21/ EntropySG

22/ Elnocho3

23/ Exikutioner

F

24/ fargo007

25/ farmertom

26/ FireCat

27/ FoxDelta

28/ Fri13

29/ Fusedspine33

30/ FZG_Immel

G

31/ gianlu320

32/ Gladman

33/ Goblin

34/ Gruman

35/ GVO

H

36/ hakjar

37/ hansangb

38/ heloguy

39/ huzar

I

40/ iffoif

41/ Icebeat

42/ Iku64

J

43/ Jabbers

44/ jnr4817

45/ joca133

46/ Joe_S

47/ jv44bubi

K

48/ kaltokri

49/ Kirin

L

50/ lolof1

51/ Los

52/ lucky-hendrix

M

53/ maducks

54/ malamar

55/ mariner3302

56/ mars

57/ MetalGear_Honk

58/ Metro

59/ mr_mojo97

N

60/ neok

61/ nobfunt

O

62/ Oesau

63/ OzWookiee

P

64/ Pac-Man

65/ =Panther=

66/ pgh2atl

67/ Phoenix F

R

68/ ram0506

69/ Ratcatcher

70/ redtail

71/ Redeye

72/ RogueSqdn

73/ rowdgordypiper

74/ rrohde

75/ ruskybeaver

76/ Rymy

77/ R3ddishF0x

S

78/ SageOT

79/ Salsam

80/ schurem

81/ SDsc0rch

82/ Shrike_AU

83/ skunk160

84/ Snacko

85/ Snapp

86/ Snow51th

87/ sparkchaser2010

88/ streakeagle

89/ Sydy

T

90/ Thick8

91/ tibidisdik44

92/ tintifaxl

93/ tribundf

94/ TWC_Alamo

V

95/ Velez

96/ VFRHawk

97/ VirusAM

W

98/ west

Oh hey, I need to be on that list as well - rrohde.

Thanks.

er.... You are.. Right there under R :thumbup:

Getting old... must have requested that early on then. Thank you - and never mind... :music_whistling:

Add me to that list please :)

Me too (without #)!

List update.

A

01/ aaron886

02/ AdrianK

03/ AKA_Clutter

04/ A2597

B

05/ Bankler

06/ Bearfoot

07/ BlacleyCole

08/ Bob_Bushman

C

09/ Cal.Iber

10/ Chic

11/ cmeliak

12/ cordite

13/ crazysundog

14/ C525

D

15/ DayGlow

16/ dburne

17/ DeadEnd

18/ Deano87

19/ defygravity

20/ do.st

21/ Drakeshoot

E

22/ Elnocho3

23/ EntropySG

24/ Exikutioner

F

25/ fargo007

26/ farmertom

27/ FireCat

28/ FoxDelta

29/ Fri13

30/ Fusedspine33

31/ FZG_Immel

G

32/ gianlu320

33/ Gladman

34/ Goblin

35/ Gruman

36/ GVO

H

37/ hakjar

38/ hansangb

39/ heloguy

40/ huzar

I

41/ iffoif

42/ Icebeat

43/ Iku64

J

44/ Jabbers

45/ jnr4817

46/ joca133

47/ Joe_S

48/ jv44bubi

K

49/ kaltokri

50/ Kirin

L

51/ lolof1

52/ Los

53/ lucky-hendrix

M

54/ maducks

55/ malamar

56/ mariner3302

57/ mars

58/ MemphisBelle

59/ MetalGear_Honk

60/ Metro

61/ mr_mojo97

N

62/ neok

63/ nobfunt

O

64/ Oesau

65/ OzWookiee

P

66/ Pac-Man

67/ =Panther=

68/ pgh2atl

69/ Phoenix F

R

70/ ram0506

71/ Ratcatcher

72/ Redeye

73/ redtail

74/ RogueSqdn

75/ rowdgordypiper

76/ rrohde

77/ ruskybeaver

78/ Rymy

79/ R3ddishF0x

S

80/ SageOT

81/ Salsam

82/ schurem

83/ SDsc0rch

84/ Shadoga

85/ Shrike_AU

86/ skunk160

87/ Snacko

88/ Snapp

89/ Snow51th

90/ sparkchaser2010

91/ streakeagle

92/ Sydy

T

93/ TheBamse

94/ Thick8

95/ tibidisdik44

96/ tintifaxl

97/ tribundf

98/ TWC_Alamo

V

99/ Velez

100/ VFRHawk

101/ VirusAM

W

102/ westr

if you're not on it post a request.

Woop broke the 100 barrier!:D

I would expect about 25% will drop off? Just a guess on my part. Easy to say "I want it" compared to "I'm ordering it..." when the time comes. Although it takes care of an immediate need of not having fumble with the mouse.

Yeah my name is on that list, whilst I am interested in it likely won't jump in on initial orders as I would prefer to wait and hear how others make out with it.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for making the list, Its kind of a interesting to see how many people are posting or interested in PointCTRL. I am almost ready to ship a few prototypes out. I plan on a slow roll-out after I get feedback on the prototypes. The slow roll-out is just in case there are any unforeseen issues that need addressing.

FireCat, you seem to be the man with list, if you want to start a list with anyone who would like to be on the initial roll-out, that would be great. Active, and tech savvy users with the time to abuse PointCTRL would be a plus. I made some more observations and changes to the sensor, so I hope to put up another video soon.

Thanks again everyone for your time and support.

Miles

Add me! first day buy Miles when you're ready to go!

I know I'm quiet here, but I've definitely been watching this daily. I'd give it a go in the first run, Miles.

While not tech savvy in the builder sense as you are, I feel I'm good as far as testing the overall product and user interaction.

Miles & Firecat,

If you could add me to initial roll out list I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd got some good bandwidth over the next couple of months to put PointCTRL through its paces!!!

I made it clear on the first page that I would be on that list !

I made it clear on the first page that I would be on that list !

I got you Immel

Hi miles, I will start the list seeking those interested, although Methinks that will be about 102 lol.

First, let me thank you on behalf of the community for all the hard work you have and still are putting into your project and also to wish you and your family a very happy new year.

I would also like to put myself on the list for consideration and more than willing ready and able to pay $ up front for the privilege. I do not expect you to layout from your own pocket + I am in the UK. If you allow me to test and give feedback you can put that on the postage package product tester sample. Which therefore removes import duty. (totally legal and a bonus for me)

I am 59 yrs old been playing all types of games but mainly flight sims for, well before many on here can remember. ( right back through janes, TAW etc) That includes using many types of controllers and gamepads. I have owned a Vive but exchanged that for the Rift, I have upgraded to the Samsun Odessey (still have the rift) and also a Trackhat I am waiting in anticipation for delivery of a Pimax 5K+ which is ordered and paid for and should be delivered in the next 2 months. (fingers crossed)

I have time on my hands as I am retired. I have all the DCS modules, terrains and campaigns (nothing on ED's site I do not own) which means I have a variety to test and collaborate on. Helps if another tester finds a problem I can try to mirror the problem.

My set up Windows 10 Pro 64, Asus Tuf Z370 Pro MB, Intel i7 8086 LTD edition 5.0GHz, 32GIG Patriot 3000MHz mem. Gigabyte RTX 2080Ti gaming OC, 1TB NVMe 970 EVO, 1TB V-NAND 860 EVO SSD. Intel NVMe Optane 250GB (Win 10 0nly + drivers on that) + Samsung 840 250GB SSD and WD 2TB 6GHz HDD also 1650W PSU-creative sound card TM Warthog-TM Rudder Pedals-TM Cougar+TM 300 wheel+Pedals+shifter all top of the line.

I think I could test more than just DCS and flight sims. perhaps Project cars, ATS, ETS, F1 range and maybe a few FPS and RPGs Arma 2/3 etc.

Anyway relax for now and I wish you a happy new year to you and your family.

Members interested in Initial roll-out (Please only if you have the time, energy and dedication to test) Oh just in case I will keep the list in Alphabetical Order. Sooo no preference intended it's up to Miles :-)

Initial roll-out list.

FireCat

FZG_Immel

heloguy

javelina1

pgh2atl

Miles

This may have already been answered so apologise if it has, but here we go anyway.

Obviosly we have 3 buttons on each finger., which are mapped to left,middle,right mouse buttons. Which order are they in? Different on each hand? Left click closest to the hand on the left hand but left click being at the fingertip end on the right hand?

My personal preference with this would be to have “left click” as the button closest to the fingertip on both hands, as this is the most comfortable position. Then middle click and left click working back towards the hand.

Anyway, be interested to see how you’re working this already.

I want to buy this device, please add me to the list

Hi Deano87 are you interested in the Initial roll-out list do you want to be added?

wolle will add you and any others on a daily basis until miles tells me to stop. (I have no idea of the type of timeline for the list. It could be days or weeks so I will update daily.)

Initial roll-out list update.

Deano87

FireCat

FZG_Immel

heloguy

javelina1

pgh2atl

wolle