IMU Sensors - Bluetooth signal distance and implementation.

Gaspar

For a new production we would like to use IMU sensors for different stuff, using OSC.

In the past I've used an Arduino with a WiFly shield and just a 3D accelerometer. Works fine but not totally accurate in the zeroes and slightly unstable in the readings. I've used Smartphones with differents OSC apps. Always using WiFy.

However this time we would like avoid smartphones (at least the usual ones) and get something a bit "better" than my old 2012 Arduino duemillanove.

Based on a @Woland mentioning the Tap Strap in an answer to a different post, I did a new search and found several interesting devices.
Some of them are Bluetooth based and tech. specs are not very informing in many cases.

My main questions are:

How do I get OSC data over Bluetooth into Isadora (or M4L, or Puredata)? For now I've only used UDP over WiFy.
Bluetooth is often quite short in distance range, but I've heard about some BT devices claiming almost 100m. Theatrical setups allow for a mostly straight obstacle free distance, but sometimes tech control is up to 30m from Stage, mostly between 12 and 25m. Do you have any experience with any of the sensors below? Are BT repeaters working properly? Any delay issues? Interferences of "audience's phones" trying to connect?

I'm adding also the WiFy devices I'm havng in mind. Just in case they're of interest to someone. Other suggestions are very welcome. I also thought about a "Mini Smartphone as the Jelly)

The Jelly smartphone:
https://www.unihertz.com/de-de...

The two TAP options, which use BT.
https://www.tapwithus.com/product/tap-xr/

https://www.tapwithus.com/product/tap-strap-2/

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Bluetooth based OYMotion
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/gForceMotion-Portable-EMG-Biofeedback-Device-Paralysis_1600897900586.html?spm=a2700.shop_pl.41413.29.6ded7121vkkDTS

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Training-Device-gForceReh-EMG-Sensor-Machine_1600827051368.html?spm=a2700.shop_pl.41413.38.6ded7121Uiz7HA

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WiFy based

https://x-io.co.uk/ngimu/#purchase

BvG73

@gaspar

Hi, Dont really have experience with those Bluetooth devices, however I do have a lot of experience in theatres. In this particular case, I’d try using a small scale computer on the stage (maybe on the side of the stage or rigged overhead in a portal bridge/flybar/other). This computer would be receiving the Bluetooth data. At the FOH there would be the showcomputer, receiving the data from the stagecomputer over wired CAT.

For monitoring/controlling the stagecomputer remotely, use some kind of remote desktop/screensharing app. I do this with Macs all the time, must be available for Windows too.

Make sure to test this with an audience in a full house, to see what happens when there are 1000 phones around. Do the test in a non-critical situation. For instance when theres another show on. Check with the theatre and the showcompany if its OK for you to run a test setup during the show. Your showcomputer can be anywhere on the side of the stage as long as its wired to the BT receiving computer.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Gaspar

@bvg73

Hi and thank you for the advice and planning procedure. I'll keep that in mind.
I think I'll go for the NGIMU sensors. A bit expensive, but open and directly hookable to most softwares around. Even being WiFi, your suggestion of using a second computer on/near stage is probably the way to go. I might not even need to control that computer, just having it sending all the data to the FOH and do the rest from there.

G.

Juriaan

@gaspar said:

NGIMU

Wow, that looks so interesting. Def buying one to test it out / see how that would work with Izzy.

Woland

@gaspar said:

https://x-io.co.uk/ngimu/#purchase

I've used these before. They've got quite a selection of neat sensors. If I remember correctly, the only trouble I had was with their little setup/configuration app, but once you know how to do it, you know how to do it. Once you've got it figured out, I'd suggest making a little screen recording and talking yourself through the process then uploading it to your Dropbox or Google Drive so you have it there forever, accessible from anywhere, in case it's a while between times when you use the sensor(s).