RVC spin off project - The cPOD

Thc cPOD (temp name?) is a spin off of our main RVC project.
After we cut the car into 2 - we had an idea about what to do with the "other half" - the back
We'll let you guess what it is as we go a long...

Under Construction


Pump in some Power


New Wheels

RVC spin off project - The cPOD

Thc cPOD (temp name?) is a spin off of our main RVC project.
After we cut the car into 2 - we had an idea about what to do with the "other half" - the back
We'll let you guess what it is as we go a long...

Under Construction


Pump in some Power


New Wheels

Where did we go??

It's been a while since we last updated the blog. Both of us were busy working on other stuff such as the Invisible Handle in the Israeli GeekCon camp. Rest assured, that we did not abandon the Real Virtual Car project.

We decided that the car was too big and took too much space in our small garage and decided to cut it. The front seats will still remain (and be further enhanced) simulator, and the rear seats will be used for other purposes (more details soon). Cutting a car without having all the tools was not an easy task but we managed to do it in a few hours.

We started with the roof. Drew a line a started cutting it with a jigsaw:

Cut Here!

We then moved to the floor, which was more difficult...












and yes it does BURN when it hits your HEAD...


After three hours we had the car split into two...

IMAGE_00041

Where did we go??

It's been a while since we last updated the blog. Both of us were busy working on other stuff such as the Invisible Handle in the Israeli GeekCon camp. Rest assured, that we did not abandon the Real Virtual Car project.

We decided that the car was too big and took too much space in our small garage and decided to cut it. The front seats will still remain (and be further enhanced) simulator, and the rear seats will be used for other purposes (more details soon). Cutting a car without having all the tools was not an easy task but we managed to do it in a few hours.

We started with the roof. Drew a line a started cutting it with a jigsaw:

Cut Here!

We then moved to the floor, which was more difficult...












and yes it does BURN when it hits your HEAD...


After three hours we had the car split into two...

IMAGE_00041

RVC at Microsoft Digital City

RVC at Digital City big gauge
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

We got to present our project in a movie theater.
Ever seen a gauge this big?
They gave us a 64bit machine to demo on, it crashed once in the middle of presentation...
Was a great adventure, we thank Yaron L. from MS that invited us to show off and meet some cool people.

RVC at Microsoft Digital City

RVC at Digital City big gauge
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

We got to present our project in a movie theater.
Ever seen a gauge this big?
They gave us a 64bit machine to demo on, it crashed once in the middle of presentation...
Was a great adventure, we thank Yaron L. from MS that invited us to show off and meet some cool people.

Custom Gauges with stand and electronics ready

12 hours before dead line - tomorrow we hope to post pictures from Microsoft Booth on Digital City - Tel Aviv, where it should be displayed and open to the public to play with.

Front


Back
There are 2 controllers here - A servo controller for the gauges (RPM + Speed) and a controller for the gear LEDs, also the Wheel is connected to the USB HUB on the controller.

Custom Gauges with stand and electronics ready

12 hours before dead line - tomorrow we hope to post pictures from Microsoft Booth on Digital City - Tel Aviv, where it should be displayed and open to the public to play with.

Front


Back
There are 2 controllers here - A servo controller for the gauges (RPM + Speed) and a controller for the gear LEDs, also the Wheel is connected to the USB HUB on the controller.

"The Lab"

"The Lab"
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

24 hours before dead-line, we are close to finishing the Gauge panel for display.
We connected the 7 gear leds to the game using a USB controller - it now show you which gear you are on (also N, R and P)
it looks great! especially in the dark : )

"The Lab"

"The Lab"
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

24 hours before dead-line, we are close to finishing the Gauge panel for display.
We connected the 7 gear leds to the game using a USB controller - it now show you which gear you are on (also N, R and P)
it looks great! especially in the dark : )

Gauges Servo install complete

If only Bill knew how hard we work to show this panel on Microsoft Digital Days he will probably send us XBOX360!!! (I need really need one)
Anyhow, if you follow this link :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15794156@N00/sets/405897/
you can see a "How to" pics series on modding a regular Dash Gauge Panel, adding servos and connecting to a PC.

Gauges Servo install complete

If only Bill knew how hard we work to show this panel on Microsoft Digital Days he will probably send us XBOX360!!! (I need really need one)
Anyhow, if you follow this link :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15794156@N00/sets/405897/
you can see a "How to" pics series on modding a regular Dash Gauge Panel, adding servos and connecting to a PC.

Custom Gauges

DSCN0002 1
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

We have been asked to prepare a frontal presentation about our project for Microsoft Digital Days (next week)
We got very nice large gauges (american brand) and took it apart to customize it for the live demo.
There goes another weekend...

Custom Gauges

DSCN0002 1
Originally uploaded by ZeN workshop.

We have been asked to prepare a frontal presentation about our project for Microsoft Digital Days (next week)
We got very nice large gauges (american brand) and took it apart to customize it for the live demo.
There goes another weekend...

We were on TV!

Today our car was shown on national television - channel 2 on their Saturday night news broadcast.

It was short and fun! You can download the entire movie clip (2:30 minutes) from eMule. Some pictures from the clip...

We assemble all the parts for a run:

Zvika is driving the car:

Yuval is driving the car:

Zvika is explaining to the reporter about the project. Short transcript:

Reporter: But it's complicated to build such a thing, no?
Zvika: Not that complicated. You just need to really want to do it.
Reporter: Now please explain - why do you really want to it?
Zvika: Good question :-)

The reporter, Yuval Dror -- thanks man, for a great report!

-Zvika and Yuval

We were on TV!

Today our car was shown on national television - channel 2 on their Saturday night news broadcast.

It was short and fun! You can download the entire movie clip (2:30 minutes) from eMule. Some pictures from the clip...

We assemble all the parts for a run:

Zvika is driving the car:

Yuval is driving the car:

Zvika is explaining to the reporter about the project. Short transcript:

Reporter: But it's complicated to build such a thing, no?
Zvika: Not that complicated. You just need to really want to do it.
Reporter: Now please explain - why do you really want to it?
Zvika: Good question :-)

The reporter, Yuval Dror -- thanks man, for a great report!

-Zvika and Yuval

We'll be on TV

well... at this point we're on a video tape of TV crew...
It should air this Saturday May 21st at 20:00 israel time.

Channel 2 news came to visit us (the power of the BLOG) for 3 hours at the workshop
to see how we setup the RVC, drive it and try to explain why the hell are doing this.
I think that they answered themselves when each of the crew members had to take it for a ride before he left (see the pic)




More pics on http://www.flickr.com/photos/15794156@N00/

We'll be on TV

well... at this point we're on a video tape of TV crew...
It should air this Saturday May 21st at 20:00 israel time.

Channel 2 news came to visit us (the power of the BLOG) for 3 hours at the workshop
to see how we setup the RVC, drive it and try to explain why the hell are doing this.
I think that they answered themselves when each of the crew members had to take it for a ride before he left (see the pic)




More pics on http://www.flickr.com/photos/15794156@N00/

Desgin draft for new Gauges Panel Faceplate

We plan to modify the panel faceplate to support some usefull information for the RVC
for example - Current Gear - see draft


here it is inside the panel:


If you have any ideas about other interesting info to put in - please write a comment

Desgin draft for new Gauges Panel Faceplate

We plan to modify the panel faceplate to support some usefull information for the RVC
for example - Current Gear - see draft


here it is inside the panel:


If you have any ideas about other interesting info to put in - please write a comment

Original guages are back in place

Today I went with Gil, a friend of mine, to install the original guages back in the car. It took us a while to put everything back together, having the lights work and the microcontroller moving the needles. It turns out that most of the light bulbs got burned while we played with them. Also, it took us a while to figure out that our power adaptor did not have enough juice, so we hooked up a computer power supply and used the 12V to get more amperage.



We then put it back in the car...



Gil admiring his work at 2am..



(Sorry about the low quality of the pictures today, but I did not have my digital camera and had to settle for my cellphone)

-Yuval

Original guages are back in place

Today I went with Gil, a friend of mine, to install the original guages back in the car. It took us a while to put everything back together, having the lights work and the microcontroller moving the needles. It turns out that most of the light bulbs got burned while we played with them. Also, it took us a while to figure out that our power adaptor did not have enough juice, so we hooked up a computer power supply and used the 12V to get more amperage.



We then put it back in the car...



Gil admiring his work at 2am..



(Sorry about the low quality of the pictures today, but I did not have my digital camera and had to settle for my cellphone)

-Yuval