Four Generations Of Motion Simulators

We like a good flight simulator but often find the available control schemes lacking. [Roland] not only builds his own controls, but creates full cockpits that add physical motion to the mix. He completed his third generation cockpit last year.  It’s pictured above as well as in video after the break. That design uses a belt system to move the tricked out cockpit.

Now he’s started work on prototypes for generation IV. This time he’s using three Sarrus linkages to replace the belt system.  We saw these linkages yesterday in an extruder prototype and if they can handle the load they should work well for this application. Video of the prototype is embedded after the break but be warned, the lewd thrusting motions are not for the faint-of-heart.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP3bbRYg_-w]

Generation III motion simulator cockpit.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtzIzNf3crQ]

Generation IV platform prototype.

[Thanks The Hatchet]

23 thoughts on “Four Generations Of Motion Simulators

  1. this can make what? .25G of force? i wonder what options there are for flight cockpits that can do from 0-3G of force or how one would even make one like that. I guess you would need some lengthy linear accelerators and a lot of space.

    Otherwise this looks like it would be real fun to fly in.

  2. Damn!

    I am VerY impressed with this one :)

    Could have been nice to see a “stress test” of the actuators on the setup in the first video with a full body weight loaded in it.
    I was surpriced of how fast, firm an silent it was.

  3. Absolutely amazing. The next step would be to combine this with some FPV RC planes – you would need to get rid of the three monitors, but it would be a ready made Predator Drone wanna be!

  4. @dontbeaarrogantjerk

    I am not an engineering expert, but the linkages shown in the prototype video don’t look very much like the one mentioned on Wikipedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarrus_linkage
    or previously shown on Hack a day
    http://hackaday.com/2009/12/20/sarrus-linkage-3d-printer-2/
    An important aspect of the Sarrus Linkage is that it is designed to produce a straight-line motion. You can see that the prototype platform linkages do not produce a straight line motion because otherwise the platform would not be able to roll etc.

  5. This does give vertical motion, albeit in a different way…

    The coupling of the motors is very interesting. It looks like the lower wooden spar is free-running and the metal linkage is coupled one-2-one to the rotating drum (which is weight compensated with the bungee cords).

    I don’t see the point of the arched ‘header’, just looks to create a weak point to me.

    Very impressive hack.

  6. @dontbeaarrogantjerk

    I see that’s a new video, not linked in the article, where the designer is calling those things Sarrus linkages. So that must have been where Mike got his terminology from. However, they are nothing like Sarrus linkages.

    Because you get all huffy and puffy why don’t you make sure I haven’t got a point, first?

  7. I remember seeing a video (I think it was on Beyond 2000) back in the late 80’s/early 90’s, showcasing a flight-sim platform that was rather impressive. It was comprised of a sphere, in which the user entered, and about a 50 ft. polycarbonate tube that would raise up to envelope said sphere. The sphere was then pneumatically lifted within the tube and allowed to rotate with the help of actuators that would divert airflow around the sphere for rotational effect.

    It was a pretty elaborate setup and seemed to work well as I remember, however I never heard anything more about it… There was probably some bothersome law-suit after someone was inadvertently shot out the end of the tube. (c:

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