Gizmodo: force feedback

Logitech G27 Racing Wheel Helps Race Fans Shift Gears

Danny Allen — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:01:00 EDT

Many virtual rev-heads knew it was coming, but Logitech has now officially replaced its G25 Racing Wheel with the G27. The update adds shift-indicator LEDs that you help know when to up/down gear, and more programmable buttons on the wheel.

The 11-inch, leather-wrapped wheel now has a total of six buttons (three for each thumb), compared to just two previously. This, and the shift-indicator LEDs on the six-speed gear stick are the core of the updates. Dual-motor force feedback returns, along with steel gas, brake and clutch pedals.

The G27 works with supported games under Windows XP/Vista, and on the PS3 or PS2. It should be available this September, for the same $299.99 asking price as its predecessor. [Logitech]

Logitech's Force Feedback Flight System May Also Simulate Airsickness

Dan Nosowitz — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EDT

If you've really got to have that authentic panicky feeling you get due to extreme turbulence and testy wind conditions, Logitech's new Force Feedback Flight System is probably just the controller for you. Make no mistake, this is one hardcore setup.

Let's take a look at the parts included in the system. The joystick features "a two-stage metal trigger, six programmable buttons, mini-stick, 8-way hat and three analog trim controls," and its force feedback lets you feel the impact of air, turns, turbulence, and g-forces. The throttle is programmable and split so you can control a multi-engine aircraft as well as a single-engine.

The pedals were inspired by the ones in current jet fighters, featuring rudder controls and toe-brakes, both with adjustable stiffness. For the dozens of buttons on the array, Logitech is including its own custom software that'll let you assign exactly what every button does.

Selling for a $299 MSRP when it arrives in September, the Force Feedback Flight System certainly isn't for everyone, but if you're a serious flight sim nerd, it's definitely worth a look. [Logitech]

TN Games HTX Helmet Delivers Virtual Headshots, Lawsuits With Force Feedback

Jack Loftus — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST

Joining the TN Games force feedback vest is the HTX Helmet, which will allow kids to be the first on their block to receive physical head wounds from a virtual headshot in Gears 2.

Much like the TN Gaming Vest, the HTX Helmet delivers sensations and body blows that reflect what's happening to your character in-game.

The HTX Helmet is worn in conjunction with the 3rd Space Gaming Vest and delivers blows to the head when you are fired upon. Feel bullets whizzing by your helmet or the impact of getting shot in the head. The helmet will communicates with compatible games to give precise, 3 dimensionally accurate impacts where it happens, as it happens.

Hopefully there's a sensitivity setting on this device so TN has a sliver of a fighting chance when the lawsuits start pouring in. The helmet arrives in 2009 and has not been priced. [TN Games]

Novint Falcon Force Feedback Controller Gets Valve Support

Jason Chen — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:40:00 EDT

The long-in-development force-feedback PC game device Novint Falcon is a good idea in theory, but without actual support from games there's not a whole lot you can do with it. Good news though, since Valve just announced support with the controller for PC versions of The Orange Box, Counter-Strike: Source, the Half-Life 2 series, Team Fortress 2, Portal and Left 4 Dead. With the pistol grip accessory it'll be fine for every game, but what we really have hopes for is fiddling around with that gravity gun and feeling the force feedback with it. [Novint via Crunchgear]

Trakonya Mutator Force Feedback Device Makes You Pay for Bad Gaming Skills

Haroon Malik — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:30:22 EDT

The Trakonya Mutator attaches to a gamer's wrist and will then shock said gamer if they screw up in-game. The device only functions with Unreal Tournament for now, but wider support is in the pipe works; next stop? Half Life—nice. We can think of a ton of games this type of self inflicted punishment would work well with, but for $59, we're going to need wider support than just Unreal Tournament out of the box. Still, couple this with the 3rd Space Vest and you'll be sure to end each gaming session with a flurry of bruises and fond memories. Bliss. [Product Page via Everything USB]

Mindwire V5 Shocking Game Accessory: Rumble is for the Weak

Sean Fallon — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:20:18 EST

You know what would make gaming even more fun? Pain. Or at least that is what the folks at Mindwire would like you to think. Their new Mindwire V5 unit helps you get into the action with sensations ranging from a "crashing car to the blast of a machine gun's multiple bullets hitting you; a sharp zap all the way through to a soft massaging feeling." Five self-adhesive pads are connected to the arms, legs and stomach that administer a range of electric shocks to create sensations that mimic in-game action.

The system works with most PS2, Gamecube, and XBox games as well as PC games that support force feedback. Next gen consoles are also supported—in certain configurations (a full list of compatible games is available on the website). So, I'm not sure about all of this electric shock business, but tell me more about this "soft massaging feeling?" The Mindwire is available for £99.99 (or $200). [Mindwire via PocketLint via Geeky Gadgets]

Porsche 911 PlayStation 3/PC Steering Wheel

Jason Chen — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:00:41 EDT

It's not every day that an actual automaker creates a steering wheel for console gaming, so this Porsche 911 setup is especially awesome. It's a "fully licensed, to-spec reproduction," which means the wheel, the 6+1 gear sticks, and the wireless pedals are all as authentic as you're going to get in your living room. It's all wireless, has force feedback, an extra sequential gear stick, a 100-hour battery life, table clamps and works with your PS3 and PC, plus comes with a Porsche USB stick to show off to the (nerdy) ladies. Available later this year for $350. [Fanatec via Jalopnik]

DIY Force-Feedback Shock Mouse

Travis Hudson — Thu, 03 May 2007 16:00:31 EDT

We're no stranger to force-feedback peripherals, but this mouse, developed by students at Leiden University, is a bit different than the traditional force-feedback mouse or controller. Here, I'll let them explain: it is a "haptic feedback provider between the computer and the user—it is aware of the user's mouse gestures and can either do nothing, attract the mouse to a new position, or it push away from its current position." Huh? I'm still trying to figure out the practical purpose behind this mouse, but nevertheless it is cool. Get some more details about how it works after the jump.

The FFM is a box on which the user can move around a specially equipped mouse. It has an Arduino i i/o board inside, which controls the servo-motors that position an electromagnet along the X and Y axis corresponding the mouse position. It also controls a relays board which sets the polarity of the electromagnet (which can be turned off, push or attract).

:–Travis Hudson

[Via Techeblog]

PS3 Sixaxis Controller To Get Force Feedback After All?

Gizloco — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:46:29 EST

You'll soon feel every bump and jolt while playing with the PS3's Sixaxis controller... maybe. A hardware manufacturer by the name of SplitFish apparently figured out a way to give the Sixaxis rumble without infringing on Immersion's patents. (Immersion holds a number of key patents on controller vibration functionality and it's widely believed that Sony didn't want to license their technology. Hence, the current vibrationless Sixaxis.) Sony hasn't replied to SplitFish's offer yet, legitimate or not. Fill me in: is controller vibration all the important while playing video games? To me, it was cool when Star Fox 64 did it back in 1997, but has grown tiresome ever since. – Nicholas Deleon

SplitFish Could Make Sony's SIXAXIS Rumble [1UP.com via PS3Blog.net]

PS3 Racing Wheels Do Support Force Feedback - Yay?

Gizloco — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:35:05 EST

The PS3 supports force feedback steering wheels, contrary to what we said a few weeks ago. Some dude played Need for Speed: Carbon and—get this—the wheel vibrated! Thank God we cleared that up. – Nicholas Deleon

PS3 Steering Wheel Force Feedback Works! [PS3Blog.net]

E306 Clips: Novint Falcon

Jason Chen — Wed, 10 May 2006 18:44:16 EDT

We had a talk with Bill Anderson of Novint Technologies, maker of the upcoming force feedback Falcon controller/interface. It's come a long way from a year ago, and it's grown a ball.

How it works: you grasp it with your fingertips in a handshake-like grip, then move it in any direction inspace and it will feel like you're actually interacting with the item on the screen. Example: If there's a rough ball on the screen, the Falcon will vibrate around the surface of the sphere and prevent you from putting your hand through the actual ball itself.

Retailing in '07 for a target price of under $100, the Falcon is geared towards FPS games, sports games, and other games where force feedback is key.

Product Page

Two videos after the jump.

Hands On: eDimensional Force Feedback Headphones

Travis Hudson — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 07:31:48 EST

I was able to get my hands on a pair of eDimensional's force feedback headphones. The headphones don't employee the traditional force feedback—where it is game dependent—like console games. Rather the force feedback comes from subwoofers that are integrated into the headphones. These headphones retail for $49.95. We'll get into a little more nitty-gritty after the jump.

Product Page

The headphones come with three standard connectors: one for the audio, one for the microphone and a USB connector for power. There is a control unit on the cable that can adjust volume, level of vibration and turn the vibration on and off. The headphones were of average comfort, especially considering the amount of padding that was on each earphone.

First Test: iTunes
What better way to test high-bass headphones than with some high-bass music. After a mere three songs of my bass-intensive trance music I couldn t handle it anymore. Even with the vibration controls set low, the bass I felt throughout my head was still distracting and not enjoyable. Then with the vibration turned off completely the music sounded okay but lacked a good bass sound that a set of speakers couldn't reproduce.

Second Test: Unreal Tournament 2004
The gaming test is where these headphones really flourished. Much like a force-feedback controller, the vibrations are distracting at first, but then you forget about it. The headphones did an exceptional job creating a full 3D environment. Even though they are just headphones they still give the impression of directional sound. Footsteps, gunshots and the like can be easily pinpointed to a direction in the virtual world. In a way it improves awareness in-game with the addition of another sense that can be utilized: feeling.

Bottom Line
If you are a hardcore first-person gamer, then these headphones are for you. The force feedback gives a new, better and more intense gaming experience. If you don't happen to fall into this category, these headphones may be a passer.

eDimensional Force Feedback Headphones

Travis Hudson — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 15:53:31 EST

Have you ever heard of Shaking Baby Syndrome for Adults? Probably not, because it hasn t been invented, until now. eDimensional is releasing a set of force feedback headphones that will fulfill your desire to be punched in the head and have your brain bounced around the inside of your skull like a pinball machine. Overall these are some pretty good headphones, minus the whole shaking your head until your forget math, thing. They are noise-canceling, include a microphone, are nicely designed, and use an in-line controller to handle the volume and shaking intensity. A lot of good features for a moderately priced $49. Oh, the things you will do in the name of gaming.

eDimensional Force Feedback Gaming Headset [BIOS]