Install Unity Version 2019.2.12 (best 2019.2.12f1).
You will need something to edit code (e.g. the VisualStudio IDE or VisualStudio Code). For version control you will need git.
- Download the installer for your OS-Version.
- Run the installer.
If you already have a Unity project, that's great. If not, create a new Unity 3D project, initialize a git repo with git init and add the Unity .gitignore.
Add this framework as a submodule into the Assets folder:
cd path/to/repo
cd Assets
git submodule add https://github.com/HassoPlattnerInstituteHCI/unity-dualpanto-framework
You can find the installation instructions for SpeechIO here.
Drag the Panto Prefab into your scene. You can find it at Assets -> unity-dualpanto-framework -> Resources. The Panto game object has different components attached to it: the DualPantoSync, the lower handle, the upper handle and a level. It also has a child component: the Panto Working Area. This is the area the DualPanto can reach.
Prepare your scene by making sure the camera is facing straight down onto your scene. Main Camera -> Projection should be orthographic. Rotate it to 90 on the x axis, so it's facing downwards. Adjust the position, height and size so that you can see the entire area of the level.
It is good practice to reduce the rendering quality of your application, you can do this via Edit -> Project Settings -> Quality. Select Very Low in the Default dropdown.
At this point we still need to manually update the serial port of our panto before running the application. Therefore we have to find the used serial port on our computer and replace the string "//.//COM3" in the Panto prefab under DualPantoSync Port Name.
On Windows open the Device Manager and go to Ports (COM & LPT). Under that tab you will find a device called "Silicon Labs CP..." with the usb serial port in brackets (e.g. "COM6"). The Port Name in your Panto Object would hence after updating be "//.//COM6".
On Unix you can list your usb devices by using the command ls /dev | grep cu.
To find out which device your Panto is one easy way is to plug the device out and in again and to check in between which serial port disappeared. That's the one we want to use.
Copy the path of the port (e.g. "/dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART") into the Port Name on the Panto Object.
In your Unity Scene, add a cube using GameObject -> 3D Object -> Cube. Attach the MeHandle component to this cube. It should now follow the movement of the Upper Panto Handle.
You can find more sample scenes to get inspired in ExampleScenes, the relevant scripts can be found in ExampleScripts
There are two ways to test your app:
- Using the emulator mode (default): For this you do not need a DualPanto, the device will be emulated. You should see two game objects that represent the two handles. The blue objects represents the lower handle, the green one the upper handle. When the handles are controlled by the user, both will follow the mouse. You emulate rotation input with
aandd. - Using a DualPanto: If you want to run the application on the Panto, make sure the Debug mode is disabled in the DualPantoSync component and the panto is connected to your computer. If you have no device connect, it will fall back to the emulator mode.
To get a better sense of what your game will feel to blind people, there is a small emulator for blind vision. By default, pressing b during game play will toggle this mode.
If you are using a panto, it will simply hide the game. If you are using the emulator, you should only see the two handles and a small area surrounding them.
This will work best if you disable environment lighting in the scene first: Open Window -> Rendering -> Lighting Settings, then set Environment Setting -> Source to Color and choose that color to be black. In addition, set Environment Reflections -> Source to Custom. You will need to do this for each scene.
if a function does not seem to exist (unity throws an error like "missing assembly reference") or if you try to use content that we released at a later stage than when the framework was released, try to update your submodules first before reaching out to us (we will always use the latest state of the submodules when we try to debug your code).
git submodule update --remote
On the back of your dualPanto device is a power switch. Push so that it turns to On and make sure the battery is charged.
On the back of your dualPanto device is a button next to the cable connection. Move the linkages back in the closing position, turn the handles so they point to the right, press the button and wait 3 seconds.
dualPanto handles not moving inside the game/Message Revision id not matching. Try resetting the panto. appears.
Try to reset the dualPanto device using the button on the back. For this see How do I reset my dualPanto device.
Have you turned the device on? For this see How do I turn my dualPanto device on?
Don't hold the handles too hard or push against the motors too hard.
Make sure you use HandlePosition() instead of GetPosition(). See the documentation for more info on usage.
No input or output from the DualPanto is arriving, the Console is showing Received sync, but no Received heartbeat.
This might be due to obstacles registering before the device is ready. Insert a Task.Delay(1000) to wait 1 second before registering an obstacle.
If you keep having troubles, you can enable show raw values in the DualPantoSync component. A Popup will show you the raw position and rotation values Unity receives for each handle, how much time has passed since t last received a heartbeat from the device, the name of the port and the current protocol revision id.