Crazy Idea #002: Pain-simulating Gaming Vest

[Tex]

Okay, before this gets outta hand, I'll clear the air:

I do NOT mean pain as in feeling the actual pain of a simulated gunshot. I'm talking about a sudden pressure, like someone poking you with a blunt iron rod wherever you got shot at.

I've thought of this vest before, and each time it comes down to the same basic thing: A vest that can tell you where you got hit at, and the sensation of feeling your new stab/bullet wound could potentially distract you in a fight, just as it would in real life. Of course, such a device would probably face a lot of controversy for obvious reasons, and I could even imagine a SAW trap with this thing. Yeah.

But anyway, I'd imagine it would function as follows, aided by a visual guide:

The jacket, which completely covers one's torso and arms, would be made of a material which can artificially flex and harden, something similar to non-newtonian body armor (that is in development right now ), but the difference is that the vest would be a smart non-newtonian-ish liquid, so that electric current would harden the clothing where the current is applied.

So this is now a three- or even four-layered garment now: A protective cover on the outside, a layer of small and lightweight circuitry, the non-newtonian layer, and finally a non-conducting protective layer on the inside.

Okay, final leg of the text here: All's you gotta do to make the vest simulate a sword slash or shotgun blast would be to have the suit disperse sudden and short-lasting current to wherever the computer believe you got hit. Of course, the drawback is that you wouldn't have a 3rd-law reaction big enough to knock you backwards, but at least you'd feel that hardening and flexing.

So that's my crazy idea #002! What do ya think?

[Bacterius]

*Takes off the vest, upper torso covered in rashes, blisters and burns - a well deserved break after a tough gaming session*

[softweir]

An interesting idea. Big flaw - smart material technology is a verrrry long way from hitting the high street.

You could prototype the idea using compressed air, a number of computer-controlled valves and a few nozzles aimed at the inner layer. When you open a valve, a short pulse of compressed air at the inner layer makes it pulse against the body. You couldn't have more than a few active areas - because this is HARDWARE we are talking about and the cost rises in more than proportion with the number of valves - but it would give you a testbed for the code side of it.

[sal_vager]

This looks like it could be a lot of fun, niche market though.

[astropapi1]

You'd end up with severe muscular damage after playing KSP.

[Javster]

What is your idea #001?

[lordlundar]

Not really a new concept. Intec long ago used to make one in fact, using pneumatic piston systems to accomplish the effect.

Didn't work very well though and it was designed for consoles so there wasn't much there for implementation. I think the unsold ones are used as Sci-fi body armor props now.

The vest would have the same issue as that one and the Occulus Rift. If a game isn't designed to implement it you have a very expensive, ugly looking and ineffective coat.

[Tex]

What is your idea #001?

It's in the Science Labs, but it's named Mantle-Based Garbage Disposal. It was the unofficial idea #001.

[R0cketC0der]

There was a kickstarter sometime last year which was pretty similar to this. Can't remember its name though.

Edit: Found it!

Edited April 28, 2014 by R0cketC0der

[vger]

*Takes off the vest, upper torso covered in rashes, blisters and burns - a well deserved break after a tough gaming session*

Can't be worse than the kind of *** whooping one can get from a paintball match. Those things have some nasty kinetic force.