Cheap Haptic Feedback Vest

by hbrumelow

11K847

Intro: 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.

8 Comments

MacY3 4 years ago

Where did you buy that vest ?

umarthebeast 9 years ago

this would be awesome to use with the oculus rift!

wheeljam 9 years ago

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

SimplerSimon 9 years ago

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

marcoboers 9 years ago

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

hbrumelow 9 years ago

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 9 years ago

Fantastic project - thanks for sharing it with us!