Traditional joysticks typically use potentiometers or hall effect sensors to determine the displacement of the stick itself when moved by the operator. Force-sensing joysticks are considered more desirable for certain purposes like side-stick flight simulators, because they measure the force applied instead, as per the name. They can be expensive to buy off-the-shelf, but you can build a cheap set on your own if you know what you’re doing, as [tekasza] demonstrates.
The build that [tekasza] put together is based around the Teensy 4.0 microcontroller. It’s set up to read a series of load cells that determine the force applied to the stick in the X and Y axes. The cells are wired up to HX711 load cell amplifiers so they can be easily read by the microcontroller. The Teensy does the work to take the load cell readings and convert them into axis outputs for a USB HID game controller, allowing the stick to be used with just about any game or simulator on the market. [tekasza] has the stick integrated with pedals as well as a whole bunch of buttons and switches to control other simulator features, built up into a full seated sim setup.
If you’ve ever wanted to use a force-sensitive stick like modern fighter pilots do, this build could be very relevant to your interests. We’ve also seen plenty of other great sim hardware builds in recent years, too.
[Thanks to John for the tip!]
No “HOTAS” tag?!
i want to know where he sourced those hat switches. my attempts at 3d printed switches leave something to be desired.
Looks like he made them. Out of wood. I assume on a lathe. The whole grip is a pretty neat piece of woodworking
Looking at this I feel very angry because he’s basically showing his priviledge. Most people can’t even afford a lathe, and if they could they have nowhere to put it. Project like this should be banned.
You can make a viking-era pole lathe very cheaply. They take a bit to learn, but anyone could do it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_lathe . I essentially made one from fallen trees with a few common hand tools. The only part I had to buy was two bolts for the points.
Geez, take a deep breath. The wooden joystick and buttons aren’t even the topic of the video or the focus of the project, and even if they were, you don’t need anything beyond a few basic hand tools to make your own.
Don’t bother, the guy is blatantly trolling. Pity the “report comment” button has wandered off again…
Pity? Most of the time it was just a “REEEEEE I DISAGREE *artistic screeching*” button. I’m glad it’s gone, hopefully for good this time.
I feel this is a problem with celebrity Youtube makers in general. The tools and equipment they have is often quite expensive (though in fairness some can be thrifty), but the time needed to work on these is not something regular people can devote. As always, the Matthew Effect comes into play.
i dont think it has anything to do with privilege. collecting tools is a blue collar pass time. i had this problem when i was young, i was always told to buy tools by my employers. i figured that was the employer’s responsibility, and that my pay was mine. what i didn’t realize is that i could also use those tools for my own projects and side jobs. the number of times i wished id bought that table saw or tap and die kit or that impact driver. turns out tools really aren’t that expensive, though there is a lot of cost difference between something that can get the job done and something that is nice to have. you could probibly do this with nothing more than hammer chisels and sand paper.
That comment is just trolling, it’s nonsense. But to engage calmly: for me at least, the cost of tools is less of an issue than having a place to put them. I live in a small apartment in an expensive city (a situation I otherwise like) so I don’t have space for a lathe, bandsaw, or CNC router. Being able to put the 3D printer in the basement already felt pretty luxurious to me.
It’s a choice. Laura Kampf was dedicated enough to forego an apartment and instead rent a warehouse in a run down industrial part of town, and just lived in an old caravan in that warehouse. I admire the passion, but that wouldn’t be me.
Could also been made with chisel and sandpaper. Calm down.
Bad bait, makes the people you are mocking (who are indeed insufferable) look better because you’re somehow one-upping them.
i meant the actual switches, not the caps.
The way this guy opts for (quite impressive) woodworking in lieu of 3d-printed parts is very appealing. I have a private superstition that every vehicle should have some kind of natural material like wood or leather that you must constantly touch as part of the controls. A turned shifter knob or something. These joysticks are a joy indeed.
I don’t get it. What are the benefits of measuring the force vs the angle?