Oculus Rift and CXC Simulations: a match made in VR racing heaven
Cars
[MUSIC]
We haere at CXC Simulations checking out their motion Pro 2 Driving simulator.
It say, proffesitonal for post tumuor grade racing simulator that uses 14 backs and most in control to really put you in the race Our background is training.
so we are always looking for tools on the simulator to make it more realistic for people and in real life so much of racing is about judging how fast you're going, how close something is to you, and judging it quickly and naturally.
The setup is basically what you see here.
We've got a big base at the bottom that has all of your audio inputs, the computer that's controlling the whole thing, and a lot of electronics.
On top of it you've got a racing seat.
Because the system's modular you can use pretty much use any seat that you want.
It's gonna be controlled via these heavy duty actuators.
They're very powerful, but also very precise, which gives you really good sort of rumbling around.
And because most driving simulators sort of fall flat when trying to deliver things like [UNKNOWN] g-forces.
It also ties in a seatbelt tensioner.
So when you really step on the breaks you can feel it holding on to you all the way through a stop.
Got vibration motors in the back and bottom of the seats.
There's also a vibration motor in the steering column and down in the peddle.
Those are race car peddles with hydraulic brakes, it's very cool.
The steering is also actuated with a heavy duty four speed back motor.
I can tell you it's really strong after about an hour of driving my arms are A little bit tired.
Any time we can take away the synthetic portions and make it much more natural the quicker we can focus on the things that we're trying to do in the simulator which is training.
The system can be had either with a single head or a three head setup like you see here and it's very immersive, it really puts you right there on the track.
But it gets even more immersive than that thanks to new VR implementation by Oculus Rift.
The best way to describe the Oculus is it's a teleportation device.
When you're not wearing it, you're sitting in a simulator.
As soon as you put it on, you have transported to a race car and to that race track.
This is
It's weird.
So weird but very cool.
Especially because the body's down there where you expect it to be.
With the advent of Oculus you can do it more naturally.
You can look to an apex, you can look around you, you can look quickly to see if someone's on the inside of you.
For moments you kinda catch yourself forgetting that it is sort of a simulation, just because everywhere your head goes, everywhere your eyes go, it's sorta there.
You don't feel like you're in a room anymore.
You feel like you're actually in that race car, and for a training aspect, that's great.
The less you think you're in a synthetic device.
The better.
Okay.
Well, I didn't come in last.
[LAUGH]
[SOUND]
That is intense.
[LAUGH] I am I'm exhausted.
The VR technology here in the Oculus Rift seems perfect for this sort of driving setup where you've already got a really good feel and you really just need to literally, well figuratively, put yourself in the racing seat.
The around view immersive vision of it really allows you to do what you really should be doing in a race car and that's naturally looking down the road at the next turn as opposed to where you are.
On triple screen set up, that's really immersive.
But, this is just so much more natural.
And plus, because the screen is on your face, you can add cool things like this wind generator that really adds just that extra level of immersion that makes you feel like you're in the car and forget that you're just in a room some where.
However for about $60,000 to start for the base CXC Motion Pro 2 setup plus about $1,600 to have the Oculus Rift implementation, this isn't a toy.
It's a prosumer grade racing simulator.
Well, I guess it is really an expensive toy and a really cool one.
I want one.
I'm gonna start pinching my pennies now for mine.
[BLANK_AUDIO]
