Open Source Golf Simulator

[ZMax]

Let hear some ideas on how to build a golf simulator and the skills needed.

Hardware, software, components, IR emitters/detectors, LA cameras, Design, math, Ball flight, programming, interface, courses, GSA, etc..etc..anything that we might need or want.

I have a background in electronics and I'm very good with a soldering iron.

[bubba22]

So Zmax could you put together some sensor hardware? Need a good programmer for sure.

[ZMax]

So Zmax could you put together some sensor hardware? Need a good programmer for sure.

Yes, if we had schematics and the components, I can put it together. But before that, we would need to decide on what kind of IR sensor we want. Reflective or shadow?

Start small with basic object detectors than move up to object face detection, and so on.

Somebody might have already built part of what we're looking for so that we can just build upon it.

[Dave W]

would it be possible to take a peak at the one you own and modify it to handle the launch package. You need any help with mechanical ability for making anything i can help but for software and electronics cant help on that.

[ZMax]

would it be possible to take a peak at the one you own and modify it to handle the launch package. You need any help with mechanical ability for making anything i can help but for software and electronics cant help on that.

It would have been a piece of cake to add launch to GSA if we had the source code. As for the P3pro hardware, I believe it's illegal to try to reverse engineer it.

[Colby]

Have you looked at the Kinect Open Source stuff? http://openkinect.org/wiki/Main_Page

[Dave W]

(I believe it's illegal to try to reverse engineer it )

I wont tell.

[ZMax]

Have you looked at the Kinect Open Source stuff? http://openkinect.org/wiki/Main_Page

Thanks, I'll take a look, perhaps northgolf can help in this area.

[Kilroy]

Let's keep discussion here to legal endevors please.

(I believe it's illegal to try to reverse engineer it )

I wont tell.

[TheFonz]

As far as sensors, it might be a good idea to look at something like the Full Swing Golf infrastructure. They have been using the same technology since their beginning (which is well over 20yrs old!). So their OEM parts must be dirt cheap...

The only issue I can think of with mocking their entire setup is I hear they actually have reached a bit of a dilemma since their PC interface is via the old ISA slot (still) and not sure how to migrate to something more current without breaking functionality. Not to mention they have made a killing with this older technology...

[chasiv]

Ask Dancing Dogg if it's illegal to try to reverse engineer it They know all about it.. LOL

http://www.p3proswing.com/news/P3Pro...it_victory.htm

[bubba22]

What exactly was the "victory" ?

[northgolf]

What exactly was the "victory" ?

The only one I know of is that Dancing Dogg can not tell their customer's to tape their clubs.

[nyb72]

Just joined this forum... what an amazing resource with all the knowledge present.

I too would be interested in a project such as this. I could lend a hand with some programming skills.

Just curious, has anyone been able to capture the serial stream for a P3Pro? Would it have enough information that you would be looking for so that you could potentially hook it up with an LA camera and integrate all the data with a course pack?

[bubba22]

The LA device that they have works well. It picks up the LA in the P3pro program. The problem is that they have not allowed the GSA courses to get these numbers in their integration program.

[ZMax]

Just joined this forum... what an amazing resource with all the knowledge present.

I too would be interested in a project such as this. I could lend a hand with some programming skills.

Just curious, has anyone been able to capture the serial stream for a P3Pro? Would it have enough information that you would be looking for so that you could potentially hook it up with an LA camera and integrate all the data with a course pack?

Can't really do much with the P3pro without the source code or SDK. Also, they might sue us just by talking about it.

You think you can write a program to calculate LA from a snapshot or video from a PS3eye web cam?

[syhlif32]

You own the P3pro you can ues the output for what ever you like. Just like you do not have to keep windows on a PC just because it came with it.
What you can't do is change or copy the software or hardware and then sell it.

I would offer my help with trying to make a cam based LA would be nice to have a open source LA it could be the start!

[Kilroy]

If you folks want to discuss creating your own open source simulator software, fill your boots.

This forum's policy is that discussions of reverse engineering a product against it's EULA are not permitted here.

[ProTee]

Maybe I can help. I like the idea of an open source golf simulator.

[Vicoz2009]

What an interesting thread, has it lost its momentum? I was thinking of creating some sort of LA using an arduino board and sensors such as sonar or these sharp analog distance sensors: http://littlebirdelectronics.com/pro...ensor-20-150cm

Not sure how quickly they can pick up a ball however.

Another idea is if the sensor itself is the impact screen, you know where the ball starts (eg a spot on the mat which a sensor can pick up) and the spot where the ball hits the screen (via photo, grid sensors, etc). Calculate the trajectory and time between the two. Problem with this is that the screen and mat can't be displaced (flapping of the screen is ok).

Added info (6 Jul): the impact screen might not be a good option for chips with short ball flight (ie it is already on its way down when it hits the screen) as it relies on straight trajectory shots only.

[rdh]

This is a fun topic, but not sure it's all that feasible. From what Martin has said to me many times, margins are very thin in this industry and it's hard even for the well-established companies to make a go of it (case in point...Golftek shutting down). I think prices have come down so much on some of the systems out there that I doubt there's much to be saved or earned by trying to create a new system at this point.

It is a fun topic though. I'd love to have a career focused on these sorts of technologies. When I got the news about Golftek, I said to my wife that if I was in the position to do it, this would be an amazing opportunity to try to buy the company's assets and intellectual property and hit the ground running.

[syhlif32]

I did play around with a arduino mega board and the sharp sensors. It is too slow!

Maybe if you make a array of them offset in timing you can get a return every time.
Also not strong enough return signal from a foam ball! At least not the ones I used at that time.

Think that Rdh is right when he says that with the DD out there for less than $400 it is going to be hard to make something. Also do not forget that the software will be the hardest to produce.
That said next year I would be game to help work on a project.
You can get the sensors cheaper from www.pololu.com.
The arduino is a great chip and the arduino forum members are very helpful.

Rdh: Did think it would be interesting for you to go for the Golftek company.

[Vicoz2009]

Rdh: that is true about competitiveness in this market, although I am hoping the topic would lean more towards something free, customisable, etc. Perhaps something similar to the R/C sims group where you can download free simulator software and you can make / buy your own controls.

[Vicoz2009]

I did play around with a arduino mega board and the sharp sensors. It is too slow!

Maybe if you make a array of them offset in timing you can get a return every time.
Also not strong enough return signal from a foam ball! At least not the ones I used at that time. ..

That's great to hear that you've tried with that sensor. Saved me some work.

RDH and Syhlif32, what do you think about the use of optical fibers strung onto either a camera or sensors.
The optical fibers are small enough to be embedded into the mat itself but thinner than having IR sensors, more can be placed along side each other.
If it is possible to gather all fibers to one camera then its a matter of assessing the change of a region in the image to get the location it crossed. One method might be to flood the fibers constantly with IR light and watch for "shadows".

[Vicoz2009]

You can get the sensors cheaper from www.pololu.com...

Thanks for the link!

[syhlif32]

You shouldn't give it up that fast.
Could very well be a way to make them respond faster!
I am very rusty with electronic by now.

See www.eswinggolf.com
They have at least a prototype up running that is fast enough to measure the club speed if I read the info correctly?
They might be using faster responding sensors! which I have never been able to locate.

In the end it does not matter how many sensors you have if you do not develop software that can make sense out of the readings.

I am kind of waiting for somebody to start a project as I would like to help but do not have the skills to head up a project.

[Vicoz2009]

syhlif: I won't give up just yet, I found posts on how to track a ball using a webcam and I think i'll go in that direction for now, but it won't track the club though.
You're right about the software

I would love to have a go at creating a direct 3d game but have no clue about where to start. I can code ok but never taken on writing a simple one. Anybody have any experience in writing a simple direct 3d game?

anyone? Beuller ... beuller?

[pingB]

There is a massive amount of code involved in building an engine and the world builder and all of that. You are better off going with an engine already built. Unreal has released theirs free to use if you don't make a ton of money. It's called the UDK. It's probably the best engine out there but it's a decent learning curve. Another really good one is called Torque www.garagegames.com. It's not free but it's made by an indie company and is actually really good and you don't have to fork up money if you actually made money with it. I think with the UDK you have to give them 25% if you make over 50k but for indie developers it's still a good deal because 50k is a long way off for most of them.

[readygolf]

.

[Vicoz2009]

good point about reinventing the wheel but like for all other things such as cars or toothpaste we like options, and in some cases the geek in us just want to try it out ourselves.