Gaming Controls
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Ryu Fitzgerald
Oct 14, 2015, 12:05:33 AM10/14/15
to Ara Module Developers
I had an idea for a gaming control and am looking for someone to make it for ARA. There are portable gaming consules like the PSVita. I have always wanted to see devices that can duel as a portable gaming consule and a phone. Project Ara could allow that with a pair of modules that attach to the 1x2 slot of end sides of the medium/large size phone. These modules would stick out the top and bottom side of the phone and provide forward facing surface area to place the controls. It would be a tight fit along the top and bottom so from the front an back it appears as one continuous phone. I imagine there could be two different versions of it
1) More portable design:
It would have a D-pad on the left device but the type of joystick on the left would be designed in such a way so that it can fit in a pocket without being damaged or taking up two much space. I saw an early concept of a steam controller where they had a concave depression acting as a joystick but they ended up ditching that idea. I don't know the reason though (Perhaps it wasn't that effective as a joystick). The right side would also have buttons along with that same type of compressed joystick. Start/Select/other important buttons locations can be worked out. It could also have a left and right bumper on it.
2) More usable design:
This will have a better joystick. The top and bottom module can also be thicker to provide a better hand grip.
Addons:
a) Due to its size, you could integrate a battery inside both sides of the game controller. This would save a 2x2 slot from being used up. This is also important in that gaming on a phone is going to use a lot of power.
b) You could integrate as usb port so you can save the phone from having to use a usb port module. This could also be taken a step further and on the back surface area of the controllers. You could put a 1x1 port.
1) More portable design:
It would have a D-pad on the left device but the type of joystick on the left would be designed in such a way so that it can fit in a pocket without being damaged or taking up two much space. I saw an early concept of a steam controller where they had a concave depression acting as a joystick but they ended up ditching that idea. I don't know the reason though (Perhaps it wasn't that effective as a joystick). The right side would also have buttons along with that same type of compressed joystick. Start/Select/other important buttons locations can be worked out. It could also have a left and right bumper on it.
2) More usable design:
This will have a better joystick. The top and bottom module can also be thicker to provide a better hand grip.
Addons:
a) Due to its size, you could integrate a battery inside both sides of the game controller. This would save a 2x2 slot from being used up. This is also important in that gaming on a phone is going to use a lot of power.
b) You could integrate as usb port so you can save the phone from having to use a usb port module. This could also be taken a step further and on the back surface area of the controllers. You could put a 1x1 port.
Ryu Fitzgerald
Oct 14, 2015, 12:13:00 AM10/14/15
to Ara Module Developers
You could also considering putting a headphone jack if this happens to get in the way of the headphone jack that is planned to be integrated in the forward screen.
Garrett Kinsman
Oct 15, 2015, 4:24:54 PM10/15/15
to Ara Module Developers
I really like this idea, I Imagined joysticks on both sides, but not really for gaming. I imagined ARA as a high tech robotics controller for UAVs and search and rescue. The same setup could totally be used for gaming, I like your version 2- It would make the phone a bit taller, bout would feel awesome. Batteries in both grips would be much appreciated! I think you have something here!
Ryu Fitzgerald
Oct 21, 2015, 10:53:31 PM10/21/15
to Ara Module Developers
Going a step further. You talked about using these controls for UAV. We could also have an antenna module for that UAV so users are not limited to wifi to control the UAV. It can even be sticking out of the phone some distance like most UAV antennas use to improve range.
Garrett Kinsman
Oct 22, 2015, 4:11:57 PM10/22/15
to Ara Module Developers
Ryu, I like that!
Others are talking about a similar concept: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/ara-module-developers/d6vQtxFaTNU In that case a Peer to peer RF module, but you could use the same RF components to talk to UAVs or robots over long distance.
Long range antennas will show up on ARA eventually. LTE direct may be another option we will see popping up in 2016. In the US, most of the "good spectrum" is owned by large corporations or the military. In other countries it might get really interesting where advanced spectrum is more accessible or cheaper to acquire. I've been thinking about idea of robots controlled by ARA, their processors upgradable as modules. I imagine a Boston-Dynamics robot powered by an ARA in its chest!
HAM radio module could also be interesting (if power permits), where a huge antenna could stick out attached to a battery pack. in the 1980s HAM radio people operated a FREE packet radio network where "HAMmies" could send packets across the country. The internet replaced that in the 90s, But I think they were on to something.
Software Defined Radios may eventually show up on ARA (the idea that a radio can operate on many frequencies and is only limited my software). But today the hardware is expensive and one can get into a lot of trouble with these! .....
More on your idea: the US military actually uses X-Box controllers to run drones, it allows recruits to learn advanced drone operation in minutes!
What else would you do with a long distance radio?
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