Wiper Motor Motion Simulator

[DERIY] set out to create a two degrees of freedom motion simulator for driving simulation. After four months, he’s completed this impressive simulator for about $400. The simulator receives driving data from the game and actuates the seat to provide tactile feedback to the driver.

To keep the costs low, he decided to use wiper motors for actuating the seat. The system is controlled by the Thanos AMC Motion Controller. This AVR based system connects over USB and controls the motor drivers. There’s also a collection of software for calibrating the system, including tuning the PID control and setting up the feedback potentiometers. An LCD display provides some information on the system status during operation.

If you’ve ever wanted to build a motion simulator, this is a good example of how to get started. The open source hardware for this makes controlling the system easier, and using readily available components can lower the build cost.

Check out a video of the simulator in action after the break.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFtJk9StXCI

17 thoughts on “Wiper Motor Motion Simulator

  1. An easy mistake to make is tilting “into” turns rather than “out” of turns. Its not a bike its a car and you want to use the gravity to simulate the outward force of going around a turn. You tilt your head to the inside in a car on a turn because you dont want your head flopping to the outside. Thats why the seat needs to (IMHO) tilt to the outside.
    Cool build. I have wanted to do one for awhile now.

  2. Some cars nowadays use wiper motors with feadback resistors/encoders built in, as there is one motor per wiper and the encoders are required as there is no linkage to stop the wiper blades clashing, the body control computer then drives the motors with PWM accordingly. dont know if the OP is reading this but may be an avenue to explore to simplify the setup as then the feedback potentiometers are not required.

    1. Modern wiper motors aren’t durable enough to last long in an application like this… Open them up and you will see what I mean. This application needs something durable. After more than a decade as an ASE Master Auto Tech, I could tell you which ones to stay away from… As in any made for American cars! Lol.

  3. Nice work… however it’s never cheap.. I assume $400 is the ‘moving’system only…the G27 + the HD screen minimum 40” + sound system (lot of bass required for good engine vibration’..etc…. I set mine with those new sensors you can get for $5… it react to the Steering wheel instead of the game itself…no matter the racing game… all link to small air chock…. probably not as good as the one upthere ..but good enough for the price

      1. Retroreflective Type . any photoelectric sensor will do… 2 for $12.00… Since your steering is always on the move, it will give you the `”feeling” your on a bumpy road …Add switchs to calibrate your motor base on type of road (plain flat, , rally,, mixed). Send me pics of your plan..or project in progress…

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