Cheap Haptic Feedback Vest

This tutorial is how to make a cheap yet functional haptic feedback vest.

Step 1: Materials List

• 1 Vest (Ideally with pockets or compartments to hold electronics)
• 2-4 Ultrasonic Sensors
• 1 Vibration motor for every sensor
• Wires
• Arduino
• Transistors
• Arduino ProtoShield

Step 2: Procedures (Wiring)

Step 1: Connect ultrasonic sensors to power

Step 2: Connect input/output ports of the ultrasonic sensors to the analog ports of the Arduino

Step 3: Set up power wires for transistors that are connected to the motors in a parallel circuit (Positive voltage connects to the first lead of the transistor)

Step 4: After connecting transistors to power, connect each transistor to a different port on the Arduino (Data wires connect to the middle pin of the transistor)

Step 5: Connect motors to the transistors (One side of the motor connects to the third pin and the other side connects to ground)

Step 3: Procedures (Programming)

The program is set to vibrate if anything is within 2 feet. adjust the values as needed and if there is lag lower the delays. this program works with no issues; to add more sensors just copy and paste what happens from each previous sensor and adjust everything accordingly.

Step 4: Sensor Covers

For your vest you can design the covers anyway you like. Just be sure to make the cover a little bigger on the CAD system because if you were to 3D print it it would shrink and may not fit if it shrinks too much. I have included the covers I made with all the dimensions accurate to the VEX Ultrasonic sensors.

Comments

[MacY3]

Where did you buy that vest ?

[umarthebeast]

this would be awesome to use with the oculus rift!

[jtaylor115]

+1 That! Ha

[wheeljam]

Could make or modify this to use on a motorcycle. Be able to sense cars. Thanks for the idea. Good job

[SimplerSimon]

They've actually tested that before. Can't remember exact numbers but it was staggering how much it drops the number of accidents.

[marcoboers]

Nice project.
Note that the way you connect the transistor is for P-type transistors, maybe nice to mention;)

[hbrumelow]

Thank you guys for the feedback! It is definitely appreciated and will be taken into consideration as we work more on the vest with (hopefully) better materials. With this being a summer High School project, it's great that its gotten 653 views and featured less than a day after it was originally posted. Thank you guys again!

[jessyratfink]

Fantastic project - thanks for sharing it with us!