Showroom Compact, Budget 6-ish DOF g-seat with integrated motion using office chair and RC servos

Thanks, I'll take your suggestion on the chair.
Will these work for all the Arduino needs?

It didn't take my amazon link for some reason here it with a url shortner: https://shorturl.at/lrQX1

I don't think you need all this. I'd buy these:

1)Arduino Uno card:
Arduino Uno REV3 [A000066] https://a.co/d/gS6t7tI

2) A cheap breadboard:
(4 Pcs) MCIGICM 400 Points Solderless Breadboard https://a.co/d/gXQjCpx

3] And some male to male jumper wires (I used the 30cm and 100cm wires, but maybe try the 50cm wires to see if they work for you?)
EDGELEC 120pcs 30cm Breadboard Jumper Wires Male to Male Multicolored Dupont Wire 11.8 inch 1pin-1pin 2.54mm Connector for DIY Arduino Raspberry PI 10 15 20 30 40 50 100cm Optional Ribbon Cables https://a.co/d/a3J80A6

So I think all the parts have arrived and I'm ready to start the building process. I'm a bit lost on where to start with this "intro" setup between the 2 message threads. Which steps should I start with?

I started with the chair - however the "rocking" feature doesn't seem to work. Is that needed? I can still pull up on the lever to recline, is that all I need?

Hi @miketunes, if your chair is like mine, I think there's a cylinder knob under the seat. Try loosening that up to see if that will increase the rocking range. My chair allows a fair amount of rocking once loosened. This feature isn't required, but it's the only way I know to get pitch out of the chair.

Just to add, without the rocking feature, you won't get pitch, but you can still move forward with the build. It would still work kind of the same way and you can feel sucked back into the seat with surge, but the chair won't lean back.

I have that cynical knob - but not getting any rocking at either extreme. I think I just have a defective chair - will send it back.

Where would you recommend starting the build with my 5 servos?

For me, I placed these servos on the pedestal legs and back of chair. Until you get a new chair, you can start trying to get the electronics to work and respond to in-game data. Just be careful and watch your fingers, since the servos pack a powerful punch.

Could you take a picture of how you attached the servos to the lumber and shoulder seat belts? I'm looking at the youtube video but can't make out details.

Sure thing. I'll try to take some pictures over the weekend.

Mostly I just ziptied the servos to the pedestal or ziptied the wood to the pedestal. I drilled a few holes in the wood and used those holes to ziptie the servos, but I'll try to snap some pictures when I have a moment.

I copied your color scheme but I think I still need to connect the positive wire? Not sure where it goes.
I have black ground from power supply to breadboard, white ground from arduino to breadboard, and brown connecting negative on arduino to breadboard.

Hi, positive wire goes directly from power source to servo. No need to plug positive wire into breadboard. Hope that helps.

Let me know when you get a chance to post a few photos, I think that will help me, thanks.

Hi @miketunes, here's a few pictures I snapped.


Servo ziptied with some electric tape to chair pedestal. (Servo arm connected to hip seat belt)




Servo connected to chair pedestal at front of chair, which pulls on braking. (Servo ziptied to holes in wood, and wood connected to chair pedestal via zip ties)




Servo ziptied to wood, which is ziptied to rear of chair pedestal. This is what I used for pitch via connecting shoulder seat belt straps. Originally I thought I might need 2 servos, but it's been working fine with just 1.

Thanks, question about the wood. I have a 4ft piece of 1.5"x0.75. Looks like I need to cut into 2 long piece and 2 short ones? Is it just the front pieces of wood that have are doubled up with another piece of wood? I can't quite work out the placement in front.

Hi @miketunes, I used about a yard of wood in the back. I originally thought I'd need 2 servos in the back for pitch, and so I have 2 pieces of wood, but only 1 is needed, at least for me and my purposes.

As for the front, yes, I doubled up the wood in order to get a good angle to secure the servo. However, this is where you might need to factor in your dimensions, project, goals to get it just right. It may require some trial and error. In that case, you might need some extra lumber just in case. No need to follow exactly how I did it since there may be better ways to accomplish this.

Just know that the lumber is easy to attach to the chair by drilling holes in the lumber and then using zipties. The servos can be attached to the lumber in the same way; drill some holes in the lumber and ziptie the servos to it. Experiment with different angles and locations to find what feels the most secure.

Best of luck!

Just to add, the important thing is that the servos can communicate with the software. From there, you can dream up a bunch of different ways to have them interact with the chair.

Thanks for the update. I couldn't quite figure out the braking. That uses a servo in the front attached to the wood (possibly doubled up to adjust angle) - but what actually connects to the servo?

For the g-headband to a servo zip tied directly to one of the chair legs?