Harnessing the power of Ford’s open-source platform OpenXC, 3D printing, Bluetooth and a Xbox 360, one of the Detroit automobile manufacturer’s engineers has created a manual shift gear knob that vibrates (haptic feedback) at the perfect time for a gear change.
Possibly, nirvana for fans of manual gear shifting and car related video games.
“I wanted to create something that expands the car’s capabilities and improves the experience for the driver,” says Zach Nelson, rookie Ford Engineer and mastermind of the Haptic Feedback Shift Knob (HSFK). “I decided to use OpenXC to provide a new kind of feedback for the driver through the shift knob which helps drivers keep their eyes on the road instead of on the car’s instrument panel.”
Nelson’s HSFK was installed into a Shelby GT500 Mustang along with an app that taps into the Mustang’s real-time engine data by way of the OBD-II port, garnering information such as revs per minute, accelerator pedal position, and speed. It uses this information to ascertain the optimum shift points for manual gear changing. The app then relays the data to a tablet computer via a Bluetooth connection. The tablet, which is wired to the shift knob by USB cable, then prompts the shift knob to vibrate, thus indicating to the driver that it is time to shift gear. It’s all made possible by Ford’s OpenXC adapter.
The HSFK started out as a digital model modified from the shift knob of a Ford Focus ST, hollowed to provide a home for the electronics. This was then 3D printed with a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic. Nelson set about equipping the shell with a vibration motor from a Microsoft Xbox 360 game controller and an Arduino controller with a mini-USB port, LED display and colored LED lights.
“The vibrating knob can be installed onto many stock shift levers and I’ve tested it on several vehicles including Mustang and Focus ST,” Nelson says. “I decided to have a little fun with it and installed an LED display on top that shows the gear position and colored lights that glow from inside at night similar to the ambient lighting in a Mustang.”
The Latest Bing News on:
Haptic feedback
- Apple's new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro gets a function row and haptic trackpadon May 7, 2024 at 7:43 am
Apple just announced a new Magic Keyboard intended specifically for the iPad Pro. It’s not available for the iPad Air.
- Apple Pencil Pro Unveiled With New Squeeze Gesture, Haptic Feedback, Find My, and Moreon May 7, 2024 at 7:33 am
Apple today introduced the Apple Pencil Pro with a new squeeze gesture, haptic feedback, Find My support, and more. This story is being
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Haptic feedback
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Haptic feedback” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Haptics
- iPhone Volume Keeps Going Down? Change These Settingson May 7, 2024 at 4:15 pm
If the volume on your iPhone keeps dropping unexpectedly, there are a number of possible explanations. Here are some settings you should look at.
- Apple Reveals New Keyboards and the Apple Pencil Proon May 7, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Along with the iPad Pros, Apple today introduced new keyboards and an Apple Pencil Pro. The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, at long last, has a function row of half-height keys similar to what you’d ...
- Apple's New Pencil Pro Has Haptic Feedback and New Squeeze and Twist Gestureson May 7, 2024 at 2:38 pm
Haptics provide useful feedback when you squeeze or double-tap, and the haptics can also be used with the hover gesture to help you align elements in your drawing. The haptics can help improve the ...
- ECS receives SBIR award for Advanced Haptics Development projecton April 29, 2024 at 11:39 pm
Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS), a provider of extended reality (XR) training solutions, has recently announced that it has received a Small Business Innovation ...
- Dell XPS 16 9640 Review: A Big, Bold and Brawny Creator Laptopon April 28, 2024 at 4:00 am
Dell's new 16-inch XPS model offers a unique design backed by strong performance and surprisingly long battery life. Just be prepared to pay for its many configurable charms.
- 5 considerations when choosing a haptics manufactureron April 25, 2024 at 12:21 am
That said, the manufacturing of haptic products is no small feat. It requires a blend of multidisciplinary expertise, careful consideration of user experience, seamless integration of technology, ...
- Razer Kishi Ultra Review: Nearly perfecton April 24, 2024 at 3:19 pm
When Razer showed me the Kishi Ultra, my first thought was, finally a larger controller for mobile gaming. I have loved the Kishi V2 Pro. And the Kishi ...
- Razer’s Kishi Ultra gaming controller brings haptics to your USB-C phone, PC, or tableton April 18, 2024 at 7:43 pm
One interesting feature in the Kishi Ultra is the inclusion of Razer’s Sensa HD immersive haptics, which the company claims can take any audio — whether that be a game, movie, or music ...
- What Are Haptics on iPhone Devices and Why Do They Exist?on April 10, 2024 at 5:00 pm
That said, what are haptics on iPhone devices? And what are they designed for? Haptic feedback (also called tactile feedback) is the term for technology that uses a physical responses — usually a ...
- What Are Haptics on iPhone Devices and Why Do They Exist?on April 10, 2024 at 5:00 pm
That said, what are haptics on iPhone devices? And what are they designed for? Haptic feedback (also called tactile feedback) is the term for technology that uses a physical responses — usually ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Haptics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”haptics” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]