Project Glider for O2016

[zachary77]

Never mind, I’ve got it thru trig. functions. Added sound too (volume varies with VS). And so, I’m really happy to announce that... we have a FULLY FUNCTIONING AURAL VARIOMETER!!
Thanks for the idea, Ripley:thumbup:

 

[Ripley]

You're welcome, but it's not my idea!


[ame="https://youtu.be/9nea3-XIyeU"]Happy Sound of Vario in a Thermal - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Marijn]

volume varies with VS

Actually the tone of the sound should go up and down. Like in the video above. Have a look at this one as well:

Most acoustic variometers have a switch do they don't make noise when sinking. Only when gaining energy.

 

[zachary77]

You're welcome, but it's not my idea!


Happy Sound of Vario in a Thermal - YouTube

You got me thinking about whether it was possible, and turns out it was:lol:

---------- Post added at 11:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 PM ----------

Actually the tone of the sound should go up and down. Like in the video above. Have a look at this one as well: Thermal-Crossing Vario Sounds - YouTube

Most acoustic variometers have a switch do they don't make noise when sinking. Only when gaining energy.

Yes, but XRSound can’t vary pitch, only volume. So it’s a technical limitation.

 

[Urwumpe]

You can always use different sound files for different tones....

Not sure if dbeachy1 could give you a toy in a newer XRSound version to modify the tone.

 

[zachary77]

You can always use different sound files for different tones....

Not sure if dbeachy1 could give you a toy in a newer XRSound version to modify the tone.

I'd really like that...

 

[Face]

Not sure if dbeachy1 could give you a toy in a newer XRSound version to modify the tone.

Given that OrbiterSound allows for it with a frequency parameter in the play functions, and the need arising in one of the first addons implemented with it, it would be a logical addition to XRSound IMHO. But of course I don't know how hard it would be to implement this feature.

 

[dbeachy1]

As I understand it, OrbiterSound's "frequency" parameter just sets the frequency that Windows uses to play back the wav file -- i.e., 22 KHz vs. 44 KHz, etc. It does not alter the actual wav file pitch (or sound), it only sets the accuracy with which the file is played back. That parameter is also (IMO) rather obsolete in this era of 48KHz+ sound support on every system. The SDK docs describe it as:

// Frequency : From 3000 to 44100 (OrbiterSound's plays anyway at 22050 so your sound will be resampled at run time)

Or do you mean that it plays back the wav file at a "slower" or "faster" rate compared to 22050??

EDIT:
If that is indeed what the 'frequency' parameter in OrbiterSound does, I could add support for that to XRSound 2.0 by using the underlying irrKlang sound engine's 'setPlaybackSpeed' feature.

 

[Urwumpe]

OrbiterSound's "frequency" parameter just sets the frequency that Windows uses to play back the wav file -- i.e., 22 KHz vs. 44 KHz, etc. It does not alter the actual wav file pitch (or sound), it only sets the accuracy with which the file is played back. That parameter is also (IMO) rather obsolete in this era of 48KHz+ sound support on every system.

tl;dr: OrbiterSound does not support that, either.

But would there be either support somewhere in your underlying API for "changing pitch of a sample" or "synthesizing sounds".

In this case, having a sine sound generator would be enough, but I am not sure if there is any around in a modern PC...

 

[dbeachy1]

@Urwumpe Thanks for info -- please see my edits to my post above. If OrbiterSound is simply varying the speed (and therefore, the pitch) of the sound as it plays it back, I believe I could add support for that in XRSound 2.0 via a feature in the underlying irrKlang sound engine. The OrbiterSound docs aren't clear on exactly what that parameter does, and I have never tested that in OrbiterSound.

 

[Urwumpe]

Ah yes, I almost forgot that you are actually using IrrKlang. :facepalm:

Why did I even ask if I could just look myself for the possibilities to mess with it. :lol:

Setting the playback speed of a sound should do it.

 

[Marijn]

Although I really enjoy to see how this project evolves and how quickly expert help is offered, I think you are getting a bit off-course by not prioritizing more important elements than an acoustic variometer system at this stage in your project.

Like I tried to explain before, if your model sinks twice as fast when it's airspeed is doubled, no useful information is given by any system measuring vertical movement. It would be the same as displaying the airspeed on a scale indicating vertical speed. Since this lineair relation between horizontal and vertical speed would not be realistic in any case, I think you should think of implementing realstic polars first before trying to measure vertical speeds at all, even in a world without natural sources of lift.

First make sure your glider behaves realisticly in laboratory conditions, which means only a single airspeed will give the best glide ratio. Notice that speed for the minimum sink is not the speed for the best glide ratio. The speed for minimum sink would give the longest flight duration, not the furthest possible distance which can be flown with any given altitude.

The next step would be to implemend sources of lift. Once you got that sorted (and like you have been warned before, this is going to be the hard part), you can think of how to measure these vertical air movements. Variometers in gliders are not constructed to measure the vertical speed of a glider. They measure the vertical speed of the airmass in which the glider happens to be.

When you got a system in place to measure it, only then it's time to think of an user interface to communicate this information like a speaker system which make sounds with varying pitch. I really doubt whether you will ever get good results if you reverse this proces like you seem to do now.

I've been flying gliders for many years. Myself, as well as many other glider pilots, do not use the acoustic vario or at least set the volume to hardly-audible or zero. The reason is simple: Every instrument and especially a vario-meter system, has a certain delay before they indicate proper values. Air movement has to be measured, usually by an airflow in some tube, and this measurement has to be transported using a mechanical system to some instrument housing gears before a needle moves or a speaker makes a sound. This delay could be as short as a few hundred miliseconds or even shorter, but it's still way too long when centering thermals.

There is a much better way to know when you have encountered lift. A glider's airspeed increases when entering zones of rising air. You can feel the g-force easily. Also, because generated lift increases quadratic with speed, the wings will make crackling noises. So you already have two sources of information on the movement of the airmass without delay and without the need to glance at an instrument panel. There is really no need for a fancy acoustic vario.

 

[zachary77]

Point taken. I’ve done some research and found the best glide speed to be about 45 m/s with a glide ratio of 45:1 with mass 600 kg and near MSL.

Thermals are the next step right now, but I have zero idea how to code it, really. I’d need a lot of help for that.

 

[zachary77]

Since orbiter flap simulation is... simplistic, to say the least, I’m adding flap lift via AddForce. It’s also a test run of the function for possible use in thermals.

 

[Ripley]

Do you plan on adding some animations too?

 

[zachary77]

Not at the moment.

 

[zachary77]

Glider V0.6 Released

Glider V0.6 has been released. As before, XRSound is required.

New features:

• Flaps implemented with state machine (realistic ext. and ret. time)
• Flaps provide lift now (lower landing speed, < 15 m/s)
• Glide ratio improved ( 70:1 at 35 m/s, 600 kg)
• Misc. aerodynamics improvements
• Aural variometer (per Ripley's request)
• Stall warning

To-do:

• Thermals
• Damage
• Mesh by Marijn

Note: Auto-trim must be turned off if aerotow is used (thanks, BrianJ)

Happy soaring!

zachary77

**Due to my exams, I won't be able to work on this for about 2 weeks. After that, I'll be free again, and development will resume.

 

[zachary77]

Alright, I'm BAACK! Currently working on a rather simplistic thermal implementation. I'll release it when I've tested it more.

 

[zachary77]

Glider V0.7 Released

Glider V0.7 is released!

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for: THERMALS! <drumroll>
About 300- 900 m AGL, they let you extend your glide quite a bit... feel free to experiment.

It's rather simplistic right now, but it's a HUGE milestone for the project nonetheless! To all who helped and contributed, I thank you

Other than that, we have:

1. Vario only comes on when engine is off
2. Damage (so now overspeed actually means something)
3. Real flap sounds

To-do:

1. Better thermals
2. Better mesh

Key commands are the same as last release.

Happy Soaring!

zachary77

 

[zachary77]

How exactly would I get sun intensity for the spot below the aircraft?
It'd give more realistic thermals.