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Linux 3D Input Driver Project Started

Posted by timothy on from the ugg-wants-a-spaceball-5000 dept.

zratchet writes "Mikey Lubker reports in his blog that a new project has been started to create drivers for 6-degree-of-freedom 3D input devices. The project hopes to support SDL_Input, XNA, DirectInput, and other major controller API's including game consoles and embedded systems, including controllers for home entertainment systems, robots, modeling clay, games, home automation, and more. Check out the project here and the (soon to be) tech-demo Snowball Surprise: Adventures in Avatarctica."

8 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. 3d input? by wed128 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Doesn't a wheel mouse already have 3 dimensions of input (x, y, z axis)? What exactly is a "3d controller?"

    1. Re:3d input? by bmac83 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The "6 Degree of Freedom" statement is much more important to me than "3D". When you have a 6 DOF controller, you are able to execute every possible motion in 3-space. The 6 DOF controller I used (in a research project associated with the space program) used a sliding controller in the left hand that you could push inward and outward (Z translation), as well as sliding up, down, left, and right (X and Y translation). In the right hand was a conventional joystick, which allowed you to rotate around each axis (pitch, yaw, roll).



      The 6 DOF "3D" controller comes from the ability to translate AND rotate around each axis (3 * 2). I can tell you from experience that the brain really has to stretch to use this complex of operation, especially when your command frame (the origin of all of this motion) is moving along with the thing you are controlling. However, once your brain maps the motions, it is an incredible way to operate a precision machine. You can always tell an advanced user by their use of multiple axes at the same time, which leads to more efficient operation (like translating in X and Y at the same time while executing a roll).

  2. What about a dual-mouse driver by G4from128k · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Two mice provide 4-D of smooth motion. And you get another 2-D of coarser motion with scroll wheels. This would have applications beyond games as I have seen (but can't find) experiments in the HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) literature on the superiority of dual-cursor interfaces.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  3. 6-degrees input from a webcam by MadCow42 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wrote a cool little tool to give 6-degrees input from a single webcam. It tracks the three points of a triangle, and calculates X-Y-Z-tilt-rotation-elevation based on that.

    The logarithms to do the calculations are solid - all you need is a better mousetrap than I have for finding the three triangle points in a single image frame (should be very straight forward - mine works but is slow).

    Is this old hat, or would there be good value to open-sourcing it? I'll likely never commercialize it on my own.

    MadCow.

    --
    I used to have a sig, but I set it free and it never came back.
    1. Re:6-degrees input from a webcam by pintpusher · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I can see this used to manage a desktop larger than your screen. or to slide between different work areas on your desktop. Just pick three points on the face to make your triangle and slide the focus based on which part of the screen the face is ...umm... facing.

      Look to the lower right corner of the screen and the desktop slides to the upper right bringing more real estate into view.

      I know there is technology that tracks the eyeballs to shift focus, but this sounds like it might be easier to use. You have to consciously (sp?) shift your head to move the focus.

      A

      --
      man, I feel like mold.
  4. TrackIR does this already by Werrismys · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Windows only, but works very well.
    http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/

    --
    'Once scientists, even the dim-witted social scientists, get muzzled, the Western Civilization is finished.' - oldhack
  5. Linux already supports most 6DOFs by vojtech · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Linux already supports the:

    • SpaceBall 2003FLX
    • SpaceBall 3003FLX
    • SpaceBall 4000
    • SpaceMouse / Logitech Magellan
    • SpaceOrb 360
    • Logitech CyberMan2

    And most likely also the newer SpaceBall variants, because they all use USB HID.

    All the drivers are GPL and included in the standard kernel release. The CyberMan2 is very cool for playing Descent2 on Linux.

    I know it. I wrote the drivers.

    It seems the project is more about developing and marketing a new 6dof in a world where all gaming-oriented 6dofs (the SpaceOrb, available on e-bay for a few bucks, the CyberMan / CyberMan2) failed miserably.

    1. Re:Linux already supports most 6DOFs by vojtech · · Score: 3, Interesting

      have you tried running 'jstest' and 'jscal'?
      'jstest' for testing that it operates correctly
      and 'jscal' for changing the default calibration
      values if needed.