Comuter Systems For Master Chief Suit

[rhaiyszkie]

I only design customs, not build them. I don't charge. But good point, I'll re-word it to reflect that, thanks.



Liquid cooling is a very directed method. You'd need contact with the skin or some kind of heat sink inside the suit. This would add a load of weight to the suit, as would the reservoir, and it would take much more power to run the pump.



For anyone reading who doesn't know, those things use a pump to rush cold liquid around a computer system, to direct cooling heat sinks, which you'd put on your processor, GPU, RAM etc.

well im thinking its for the computer inside your suit coz its really gonna get hot in there... but you are right it really needs a lot more power and will add weight due to the water reservoir and pump...

 

[DreamHazard]

But hey, it's a suggestion, and all suggestions are good, because we can look at every possible addition to our builds.



If only we could get some of that gel from the MJOLNIR suits...



On a more serious note, how good/bad is mesh at dissipating heat? Like if you had a mesh layer under the armour? Would it spread the heat out or concentrate it? Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?







EDIT: I've just discovered the downfall in using OLED... You're going to have the main interface on the screen most of the time, and OLED screens are more susceptible to "burn" than the old CRT monitors... So I guess it's a good thing you're not using them. Still, R&D pays off, just for the future.

 

[thatdecade]

I still think an iphone app is the most practical solution, but it sounds like you want to blow away practicality with all these crazy features.



Not to be hating on the topic, here is an article from earlier this week. There is also vid demonstration on this page:

Transcend Ski Goggles Feature Cyborg HUD

 

[DreamHazard]

There's a few problems with using an iPhone... Cost is a major one, and they're not that powerful. The applications are written in Java, which runs on a platform called the JRE, Java Runtime Environment. This adds a layer of complexity into the system which is detrimental to the running of the system.



"it sounds like you want to blow away practicality with all these crazy features" - What crazy features are these? And how would it be "blowing away practicality" to have a visor with a cam feed? This system will be proof of concept, that it can be done. It doesn't have to have practicality blowing features, it just has to work. The features can be added later on. The iPhone has little that can actually be built on in terms of functionality.



That said, good find, that kind of thing is useful in its place, I can see myself using something like that when climbing or snowboarding. And I love the text at the beginning, "recon instruments"... if you could use that as a display for a computer, it'd be perfect

 

[colinmon22]

On the topic of not overheating, this has already been discussed at great length in the Creation section.



http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20179



http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20422



http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8598



http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17238



Are some discussions on the topic



Hope this helps!

 

[UNSC Leatherneck]

Voltage won't be your main concern. Batteries, at least ones that you can carry, simply don't have the amp-hours to supply a computer for longer than several hours. I believe that the Army's Land Warrior system could only manage about 12 hours on a single battery. The system was integrated with Stryker IFV's so the soldiers could carry spare batteries in the vehicle. My suggestion is to approach this with subsystems. Build capability. The display system is a priority. The ski goggle system previously posted is an excellent idea. It avoids the expense and trouble of getting a see-through overlay HUD to work. Since you need something to display on the screen, navigation and input from video is the next logical step. GPS and moving map capability would be cool, and you could overlay the position of friendly units on the map. If you really want to get fancy you could have a compass display and have markers indicating the bearing and distance to friendly units or objectives. Communication shouldn't be too bad. You've got a couple of options, but I think some of the long-range wifi protocols show promise. It basically gives you a relatively secure SHF-band communications system. You pretty much become a walking hotspot. Share video, no problem.



The way I'd prioritize it:

Build the smallest, lightest, most energy efficient computer you can (keep it rugged, you're going to be wearing it.)

Find the battery with the highest power-to-weight ratio you can. Look at Lithium-ion or Lithium-ion-polymer chemistry. Use the biggest battery you can while keeping the weight under control.

Get an affordable display. A small screen mounted below the normal sight line that is focused at infinity.

Plug everything else into it. Camera on gun, or on the helmet. Radio/wifi. Stuff like that. Keep adding features as you get stuff to work.



It can be done. The military already did it.

 

[Anubis4451]

@ thatdecade: That is FRACKING AWESOME!! Just more proof that this project can be done.



@Kevlar: We need to get our hands on those goggles and canibalize them. We would have to come up with our own code and modify the display. Tweeks here and there and you have your visor display. Now if we could just figure out this cooling problem.

 

[DreamHazard]

@Kevlar: We need to get our hands on those goggles and canibalize them. We would have to come up with our own code and modify the display. Tweeks here and there and you have your visor display. Now if we could just figure out this cooling problem.

The problem is proprietary gear. We don't have any way of telling what kind of chip is in there, how it interfaces, how we can add functionality to it... It's good for what it is, but it's not the sort of thing needed for this kind of project. It'd take months to crack one of those, and then someone'd have to write the software for it.







-EDIT-



@KEVLAR, VITALLY IMPORTANT, READ BEFORE BUYING YOUR GEAR:



This site contains a list of Linux-compatible hardware, specifically webcams. I'd read through it before making your purchase. It's really important that you make sure there is a driver available for the hardware you intend to purchase before you obtain it. This will prevent problems later on in the development process

 

[Anubis4451]

The problem is proprietary gear. We don't have any way of telling what kind of chip is in there, how it interfaces, how we can add functionality to it... It's good for what it is, but it's not the sort of thing needed for this kind of project. It'd take months to crack one of those, and then someone'd have to write the software for it.

That is true but I love the chance to reverse engineer something.

 

[DreamHazard]

Yeah, it's great to get in there and do things, but 1) Those things don't appear to be available yet, and 2) It's going to take a while to get done, and figuring out how to code the thing, and integrate it into a working system. Plus, we don't actually know what the output on that thing's really going to look like, it could be a really crappy screen with like a 100x60 resolution or something, completely worthless to a MJOLNIR build.

 

[WARlock]

USB cameras are easily hacked and remade for placement on helmet or shoulders with fields of view easily set if you integrate a HUD type camera like the glasses setup. Also might think about the Wii-mote. It uses a Broadcom 2042 Bluetooth controller chip and is able to be setup on any computer using many programs and homebrews. This could be set to a guncam and directional (I.E.: a shoulder cam is set with a crosshair that coincides with the guncam and the IR sensor on the guncam from a torndown wii-mote would direct it. What the gun points at the shoulder cam sees with targetting reticle.)



Also with a laptop computer remod for a backpack, cooling mats could be wired into a USB HUB using the power feature of the USB setup and cool the system but only for limited time as the power management of all this will be a concern.



Solar recharge is a bad idea and liquid cooling has negative return without gel-neoprene systems and skin contact, but you might think about wiring manual flashlight recharge generators to the boots of the costume and as you walk a pedal basically recharges the system. Simple foot movements can accomplish this and the wiring is all inclusive. I could try to better describe any of this that strikes your fancy.

 

[DreamHazard]

USB cameras are easily hacked and remade for placement on helmet or shoulders with fields of view easily set if you integrate a HUD type camera like the glasses setup. Also might think about the Wii-mote. It uses a Broadcom 2042 Bluetooth controller chip and is able to be setup on any computer using many programs and homebrews. This could be set to a guncam and directional (I.E.: a shoulder cam is set with a crosshair that coincides with the guncam and the IR sensor on the guncam from a torndown wii-mote would direct it. What the gun points at the shoulder cam sees with targetting reticle.)



Also with a laptop computer remod for a backpack, cooling mats could be wired into a USB HUB using the power feature of the USB setup and cool the system but only for limited time as the power management of all this will be a concern.



Solar recharge is a bad idea and liquid cooling has negative return without gel-neoprene systems and skin contact, but you might think about wiring manual flashlight recharge generators to the boots of the costume and as you walk a pedal basically recharges the system. Simple foot movements can accomplish this and the wiring is all inclusive. I could try to better describe any of this that strikes your fancy.

^^ I like this guy



I didn't think of the Wii-mote because I'm a 360 man, but I got to admit, that's a damn fine use of initiative



Would you draw a diagram of what you mean though, I'm having a little trouble imagining it (I'm currently working on an interface's code, so I'd like to see your vision as I'm likely to be implementing new features too. I love this stuff =D)



Also, liking the recharge idea, not sure how well it'd work, but you could mount a few of those suckas up to the suit and see what happens. The problem is, laptop batteries are ~12V, and the torch batteries are about 1.5-3V.

 

[WARlock]

I would have to check the specs on the torch recharge but as for the rest. I'll rough that out since it is extremely similiar to something I've spent a few years working on. Something I hope to have done this year. Know anyone with hydraulic/pneumatic/servo knowledge?



and exactly which part would you like mapped for better understanding? The wii to cam setup or the wii setup itself?



**BTW: imagine using two recharges in the boots and two on the hips for walking input...

 

[DreamHazard]

Um, both of those. It sounds very interesting, the sort of thing we could use after the initial work is done on the interface



I don't know anyone with that kind of experience, but keep posting things with that kind of quality content and you're sure to be noticed. Then you just have to ask around, someone on here will know what you need. Either that or start a new topic asking for information, provided of course that you have used the search function to peruse the forum for the information first. =D



-EDIT- and yeah, reading your edited post, that's the kind of thing I was thinking.

 

[WARlock]

Alright back in an hour or so. I have two comps to finish rebuilding and hardware resolders. I will provide wiring diagrams where possible.



I also thought of a project I will try to track down. It used IR mapping of eye movements that could be used to draw on a computer screen. It should be modifiable to use with a small servo driven camera for directional viewing. I will see what I can find on that and passive IR.



Servos needed for all this are easily obtained with positional chips from any scanner/printer derelict you might take apart.

 

[WARlock]

I was looking over my notes and I find them a bit scattered but I also have links to many things that could be useful. Try these as a starting point with a bit clearer thought.



Link #1 Wii Mote Usage



Link #2 Head Mounted Display

 

[KevlarSpartan]

@ Aaron: Actually Aaron, contrary to what you have said, the majority, with the exception of the visor's screen, will be quite simple, you've just gotta have the knowledge, kinda like baking a cake, you read about it, then you do it. The 'extremely advanced' military don't do this stuff because the technology does not exist to make it tough enough for combat use, mine won't be anywhere near that either, it will be put together, as 'backyard' build standard. I'd like to make it clear that im not planning on rivalling the military, i 'clearly' do not possess the knowledge of a team of highly trained experts.



@ raziel1981: Im not sure if you've read the entire topic, but somewhere along the line i have mentioned Thermoelectric Cooling, this will significantly cool the pc (and me at the same time) and will allow for the solar panels to be used, but of course, if it gets 'too' hot, then i will have a lead to place the suit in the shade, and the panels in the sun. You're idea of a 'power outlet' for the suit is a good one, quite strange at prima facie', but nevertheless, an idea i can use. I thought about it, and i can get Heavy Duty powerpoints which have special covers to stop electrocution, and gunk from getting into them. Hopefully i can reduce the need to change batteries with the addition of the solar panels. Kudos'



@ Aaron: Yes, this will be above and beyond what anyone has done, that is the point. I want to do something so revolutionary (in the world of the 405th at least) that it adds a new sense of thought to the practice that is "Armor Construction".



@ iSUPERNOOB: I DO plan to run into many covenent, all of which, will be destroyed. hahah.



@ DreamHazard: mmmm....SQL. That's good, we can get started on wave now as well, you may have to wait a day or two for me to get started, because i've got some other work i quickly need to get finished, so stay tuned. The batteries sound good, or at least they would if they were half the size, but a though nonetheless. You've posted some good points here as well, we'll be able to dicuss them on Wave in a day or two.



Cheers all!

 

[KevlarSpartan]

WOAH!!!! I must have be typing for a while, cuz i'd swear all the posts above were not there a minute ago!



I'll get back to everyone later. Soz for delay.



Cheers!

 

[WARlock]

I'm like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects me.

 

[Anubis4451]

USB cameras are easily hacked and remade for placement on helmet or shoulders with fields of view easily set if you integrate a HUD type camera like the glasses setup. Also might think about the Wii-mote. It uses a Broadcom 2042 Bluetooth controller chip and is able to be setup on any computer using many programs and homebrews. This could be set to a guncam and directional (I.E.: a shoulder cam is set with a crosshair that coincides with the guncam and the IR sensor on the guncam from a torndown wii-mote would direct it. What the gun points at the shoulder cam sees with targetting reticle.)



Also with a laptop computer remod for a backpack, cooling mats could be wired into a USB HUB using the power feature of the USB setup and cool the system but only for limited time as the power management of all this will be a concern.



Solar recharge is a bad idea and liquid cooling has negative return without gel-neoprene systems and skin contact, but you might think about wiring manual flashlight recharge generators to the boots of the costume and as you walk a pedal basically recharges the system. Simple foot movements can accomplish this and the wiring is all inclusive. I could try to better describe any of this that strikes your fancy.

Are you talking about piezoelectricity? If so that is a possible idea in the boots. It generates a small charge and could run smaller items within the suit that requires little power.



BTW for those who don't know what Piezoelectricity is follow the link.