Help!!!!

[trickyvic3]

Hello to all at OWH, Hope you all had a good christmas. Well let me start with my story. My son and I have been slot racing for over 25ys. In feb of 04 my son joe was in a bad car wreck and was left a total quad with no movement. His wife of over 15ys left him 2 weaks in to all this.He spent a year and 1/2 in Boston hospitals.We were told he would need to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home. NO WAY, NO HOW!! His mom and I decided to bring him back home to live with us. Because of his level of care, we had to give up our jobs to give him full time care. Joe is 35ys old and has a great out look on life for someone in his shape. He relies on us to be his arms and legs. All joe has now is his food and tv to keep him happy. I want to get him slot racing again. A while ago I spoke with paul k of owh. He is trying to set joe up with a sip + puff controller to use by mouth. I am trying to set up a track in our garage, in hopes of getting a small club started. Money is very tight for us, as you can guess, so cost is a big deal. Bob scott of cruzin tracks has offered to discount a 7 by 16 figure 8 track to us, He,s a very thoughtful and kind man by the way, but it,s still a lot of money for us. I have a line on an older 4 lane flat track for 600.00 but it,s to big as is. The foot print is 35ft by 7ft. Can this be easily cut down? or are we better off trying to raise some money and go with bobs? Our garage is 20 by 24. If anyone has any ideas please help. WE NEED TO GET RACING AGAIN . Thank you all - - - Vic

[oldweirdherald]

I spoke with Vic on the phone before Christmas, as his email to me definately struck a nerve and had me pretty choked up. With all that this family has been through, this family has remained thankful to still have their son in their life, and their positive attitudes and perseverance is truly an inspiration.

I have been researching "sip & puff" switches, and their possible application to interface with a slot car controller, as this is the first step in the solution. I have found web sites with similar applications having been done for video game controllers, and even with Scalextric 1/32 cars, but the sip & puff switches I have seen so far do not offer a variable output that would be desirable for speed control. The busy holiday season at work has postponed my research, but now that the holiday rush is about over, I am hoping that this can be tackled, with the help of the OWH slot car community.

This is not something that I can personally contribute much help on alone - but it is my hope that I can help by spreading the word through the OWH Slot Car Talk forum, to help brainstorm to find the method and the means to not only help this slot car family, but possibly many others who suffer similar dissabilities or injuries that make it difficult to enjoy a hobby like slot car racing.

Upon reading Vic's email, I discovered that a customer who was coincidently at my shop at the time, had a son with a very similar situation, using sip & puff switches to control his wheelchair - and he was also very interested in any solutions we may be able to come up with.

My first thought was for a 1/32 scale home track, but Vic explained that they had invested considerable time and $ in 1/24 scale commercial slot car racing cars and equipment, so this would be the first choice.

The initial challenge is the controller. I would like to invite the expertise and ideas of slot car controller builders to offer any ideas, input, and especially to develop solutions to integrate a "sip & puff" or similar switch to a slot car controller. This is the toughest part of the challenge. A simple "on-off" function has been done before, and even "right-left" on video game controllers, using existing and improvised devises. The part I have not seen solved so far is variable input to give variable output that can be then interfaced to an electronic controller.

If this can be accomplished - there is definitely a need for this technology - and not just for slot cars. A variable control for parapalegic patients could be applied to countless other applications!

Ruddock, Difalco, JayGee, Third Eye, Carston, Parma, Professor Motor, (who am I missing???) - any ideas???? Are you up for the challenge???
And I'm certainly not ruling out Scalextric, Ninco, Fly, SCX, Carrera, Slot-It,

Once that is accomplished - I believe that WE - the slot car community, can contribute towards helping this family get back to enjoying this hobby together. Through sponsors, manufacturers, and donations from fellow slot car enthusiasts - I think we can find a way to get a track built that Joe can once again race on with his dad, family, and friends.

I invite any ideas, input, and positive discussion to accomplish this goal.

Paul K
OWH

[oldweirdherald]

I have copied this thread from the main forum to the Tech Tips - Controller Talk forum, in hopes that controller builders will read it and can contribute ideas and work towards a solution.

The adaption of a "sip & puff" switch to a slot car controller would allow Joe and many other handicapped people to enjoy our hobby.

The innovation of a variable control that can be used by a parapalegic to control devices, could be utilized for much more than just slot car controllers.

If such a device was developed for slot cars, and resulted in applications to enhance the lives of those with limited or no use of their limbs, just think of the possibilities....

The publicity for such an accomplishment would be great exposure for our hobby - let alone the incredible achievement of what it would do for the lives of this individual and family, and others in similar situations...

Controller gurus - here's your chance - any and all ideas & input most welcome!!!!

Paul K
OWH


Some reference links:

http://switchgaming.blogspot.com/200...slot-cars.html
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/4/DIY/scalectrix.htm
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/4/DIY/switches-suckpuff.htm
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/
http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/1/AGS/AGS-head.htm
http://www.quadcontrol.com/joystick.htm
http://www.quadcontrol.com/about.htm
http://www.tecsol.com.au/SwitchSuckBlow.htm
http://store.integratedrehabsystems.com/sipandpusw.html

[Ryan from Ohio]

Just a very super quick morning breakfast brainstorm.

Piston in a tube, clear, o rings. Very light spring, wiper arm resistor, 4 Ohm. All mounted to say a modified Microphone stand so it can be placed on his chair. Volume of tube must be small as he needs to easily fill it.

Initial idea is to blow/hold pressure. Release of pressure to slow/brake. Realizing he needs to breathe while doing this.

[3rdEye]

3rd Eye will participate in the development of an end user Troller.

Due to the electronic control of the throttle/braking and low current signal controls that can be sent over long cabling of the 3rd Eye trollers basic design, I would think it would lend itself to this application?

I have 0 knowledge of pressure switches but some understanding of "Pressure Transducers" that I believe have variable resistance, voltage or current output? If someone is knowledgeable in pressure sensing devices and can contribute the interface requirements, assist in where to find information and even possibly supply the device itself, then 3rd Eye will adapt it and design a fully functioning Troller.


Brake and Sensitivity controls will still be manually adjusted for a given track condition? The power capacity would be in the Renegade 2 (G12 Max) range?

[JayGee]

Freescale Semiconductor produces a line of pressure sensor integrated circuits that produce a continuously variable output signal.

I've got some fairly good contacts there. At the very least we could get some guidance as to which ICs and eval/demo boards would be best suited for the project. At the best...some design expertise from one of their applications engineers.

Also, if anyone has any info on commercially available mouth activated input devices with a continuously variable voltage output, please point me in that direction. Since the Linear 200 power module already contains a microcontroller that converts an analog voltage to a throttle/brake control output and uses a commercially available USB cable, their may be a solution that can be developed in short order.

Jeff

[3rdEye]

Jeff,

Sounds like you have a handle on it so I will turn it over to you? let me know if I can assist you and we can work together in achieving the goal?

[JayGee]

Let me scope things out a little. I sent a PM to Vic with my contact info.

In the meantime, if anyone knows of an EXISTING assisted living input device generating a variable voltage output that can be controlled by mouth pressure, tongue movement, etc...please post an answer. Due to safety and liability concerns, as well as keeping costs down, we're much better off using an input device that has already been designed and proven to be safe.

Jeff

[bobo]

Is ther not a system already in use for wheel chairs??

Might want to contact them for imput.
Bob Oaks

[oldweirdherald]

Is ther not a system already in use for wheel chairs??

Might want to contact them for imput.
Bob Oaks

Hi Bob,

The answer is yes - but I covered that in my post & links above. All the references to assisted devices I have found so far utilize a "sip & puff" type of device. Some have been adapted for video game controllers, and even Scalextric slot cars. However, all I have seen so far allow for only a simple "on" or "off" input, which has been adapted for "right" and "left" controls as well - but so far I have not seen anything that allows for variable input to give variable output.\

The modern electronic controllers in use today, such as those made by JayGee & Third Eye, have the potential capability to allow electronic control of the speed - but what we need is a device that will give the user the ability to give variable INPUT.

I think Ryan's idea was definitely on the right track, but just in case we may be "reinventing the wheel" - we need to know if there might already be such an input device already available.

If a variable input device IS available, then it could be possible for many of the electronic controllers to be adapted for the use of people with limited abilities.

This is why I am hoping that through collaboration between controller builders and slot car experts, we can come up with a solution that could not only benefit Joe and many others like him, but could also help share this great hobby of slot cars with people who's disabilities make many hobbies and activities difficult or impossible for them to participate in.

By collaborating towards a solution, it could result in several brands of controllers being available for this type of usage.

I also think that a solution to this application could also be applied to many other applications of assisted living devices, game controllers, wheel chairs, etc.

It sounds like between Howard's & Jeff's knowledge and experience with electronics and switching devices, we are off to a good start! If any others can provide any other input or knowledge of any variable input devices, it would really help towards a solution!

Great start - Let's keep the ball rolling!

PK @ OWH

[Slapshot]

Jeff:
Not sure how much this will help.
Do a general search on the word "Phidget Board". There are a number of USB sensors that are availble for these boards. I believe when I looked awile back there were some resistive or pressure senative and some the are drivers for servo. Phidget boards are relativly new but are a boon to robotics and are USB driven so that they may be interfaced with computers. I got a kick out of the joystick sensor. That might be an option as I was working on a device many many years ago for a lad that was in a wheelchair that used a long handled joystick that he activated with his chin.


http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?category=2
http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?category=10
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store...-O-Boards.aspx
http://www.active-robots.co.uk/phidg...aces-c-79.html
http://www.phidgetsusa.com/faq.asp

Phidget are all ready being used in Slotcars as computer race controll race director systems such as Slotrak 8 and PC Laptimer. They use a USB Phidget board to inteface with a computer from vairous sensors and also use the phidget board to controll the realays. Heres some more info on thes programs.

http://slottrak.fsmra.com/index.html
http://users.skynet.be/bk274532/index.html

Raymond

[JayGee]

I'm currently in contact with an engineer in Montana that designs and sells assisted living input devices for game consoles. We're talking "tech" right now and I've sent him the interface details for my controller. Let's see what happens.

[trickyvic3]

Just wanted to let everyone know how pleased joe is to have good people like you ALL in his corner. We can,t believe how fast you all responded. We needed a little good news. As bad as things have been, and on top of everything else, we had to put our little pekinkese dog down this past monday. He was a great buddy to us all for over 12ys. The house seems so empty. He will be sadly missed. So it was nice to jump on OWH and see the response we have been getting from all of you [ our slot famly ] We are keeping our fingers crossed that good things will happen. We will keep you all updated on how things are going. - - Thank you all and god bless - Joe + family

[GaryG]

Just wanted to let everyone know how pleased joe is to have good people like you ALL in his corner. We can,t believe how fast you all responded. We needed a little good news. As bad as things have been, and on top of everything else, we had to put our little pekinkese dog down this past monday. He was a great buddy to us all for over 12ys. The house seems so empty. He will be sadly missed. So it was nice to jump on OWH and see the response we have been getting from all of you [ our slot famly ] We are keeping our fingers crossed that good things will happen. We will keep you all updated on how things are going. - - Thank you all and god bless - Joe + famly

Vic and Joe,

An anonymous donor has agreed to pay for your new track.
I'll begin building it as soon as we can agree on a suitable
track layout. I will be delivering the track to your home in
late February. A lap counter and power supply will be included.
Everything is taken care of except the special controller....so
get busy guys and get that done! Vic, give me a call at 402-
658-5468 and we'll get moving on this project.

Gary

[JayGee]

I wish things were moving along faster but the consultant/manufacturer I've been in contact with has been traveling and is now catching up on his own production orders. I'd sent him the interface details to the controller and was expecting him to get back to me last week.

I've since posted requests for help on websites frequented by engineers.

The good news is that he got back to me this morning and evidently has been researching slot cars and controllers to understand our funky little hobby.

Even better, based on an email exchange this afternoon...He's HOOKED!!! I'm sending him a controller and test fixture for him to do development with.

Jeff