FlightSim Head tracking using Wiimote

What you need

  • Flight Simulator X. Should also work with any other game that can use a joystick for head look
  • A Wiimote
  • Bluetooth on your PC
  • PPJoy installed (http://www.geocities.com/deonvdw/PPJoy.htm)
  • Some IR LEDs and resistors
  • Some Headphones you can hack
  • Soldering Iron
  • My software - download from HERE
  • Ideally MS Developer Studio, at least C# learning.

    Building

  • Take a cheapo set of headphones.
  • Glue 3 IR LEDs to it, one each side, one on top. If possible make sure they stick out a bit so your hair wont block them (if you have hair...)
  • If you bought narrow angle LEDs like mine, then cut the tips of the lenses to diffuse the IR light a bit
  • Find a suitable power source. The 5V from USB is a good start.
  • Add suitable resistors to the LEDs and wire to your voltage source. I worked on 2v Vdrop, 20mA. Best refer to the datasheet for the LEDs. If you don't know how to wire LEDs up - google it!!!
  • Plug it in and check using a webcam or a mobile phone camera - they show IR light nicely

    Installing

  • Install the wiimote (Google on how to do this).
  • Install PPJoy, and configure a single virtual joystick
  • Run my software, and check that it tracks the head set using the simple dialog (you will see 2 triangles, one is the real data, the other is the interpreted data).
  • Run Flight Sim. Set up the dead zones in PPJoy to be at the minimum.
  • Click Set View - left/right axis and move your head left to right
  • Click Set View - up/down axis and move your head up and down
  • Fly!
  • Improve my code and email it back to me ;)

    I'll try to add more details soon. Until then, email me at rich - at - deluded.co.uk