Hemp’s Flight Sim Stuff

Don't get me wrong, I like the electronics! What is it? It's basically an USB composite device, a mouse, keyboard, and joystick 3-in-1 USB composite device. You get to download a program, ElfKey, and graphically program the foot switch to either output a key, mouse button, or a joystick button, or record a macro. Then, you download the "programming" to the USB device. The MCU is most likely located in the oversized USB plug, completely embedded inside the plug. Not that it can prevent me from opening it up, but I am too lazy to even bother with this trivial thing. The one shown below is an upgraded version with so the called electro-optical switch. It's simply a pair of IR emitter/receiver with a couple of passive elements to 1. drive the IR emitter using a simple resistor as a current source, and a pull down resistor, and 2. a diode, for cascading up to 3 such PCBs (3 pedal set), using just 4 wires instead of 5. The later part I really do not like. I mean, all yo...

  In the last AVRPit post, I "claimed" modular design.... but didn't do a good explanation nor demonstration on modular design. Here, in this post I will attempt to demonstrate what I meant by modular design. In the next two screenshots, you will see that the basic frame design is very simple. It's built on top of a horizontal rectangular frame built with 1515 extrusion, sitting on two 6x6" wood posts with caster wheels mounted under the posts. Everything else are mounted on top of this frame, including a sliding car seat (not shown). In fact, the frame is built around the car seat. I chose a car seat that is narrow enough to fit inside an F-16 pit (most car seats are too wide), and then design the frame's width to fit the rail for the seat. Up front mounted a plywood platform and two "gates" built with 1515 extrusion. The wooden platform is design for rudder pedals, so the rear half is covered with thin aluminum sheet for sliding of the the pilot...