From: cdshaw@cs.UAlberta.CA (Chris Shaw)
Subject: Re: Nintendo Power Glove Problems
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 91 21:45 WET
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada



In article <17290@milton.u.washington.edu> Richard M Willis writes:

>I have finished an interface box (8031 microcontroller, oscillators, etc.)
>to control the firing of the ultrasonic transmitters on the Glove. ...
>
>Everything works fine, EXCEPT that the distances that I get are very noisy:
>variation of 200 microseconds (about six inches) at a distance of five feet.

This is a problem inherent in the technology. Accuracy is very low at anything
but very short distances. You're probably going to have to get into some
heavy filtering to make the numbers look better. I have heard of systems that
can deliver +- 2 inch in a 20x20x20 foot measured space, but it's not
deliverable at $100 per unit. (I'm being vague here.. better than 6 inches at
5 feet, but I forget how much better.)

After all, if this technology delivered +- 0.25 inches RMS at 60 inches range,
you'd have a $100 Polhemus Isotrak replacement at 1/30th the cost! 
-- 
Chris Shaw     University of Alberta
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