razenWing, on 31 July 2018 - 02:34 PM, said:
How would you design a real life Mech Cockpit?
A REAL LIFE mech cockpit? As in in a real-life huge fighting robot with a pilot inside? With real-life physics and scientifically-based things?
OK, here we go.. you asked for it!
1) The cockpit itself - would be armored - no glass bullshait, no windows, no slitted portholes.. full-on armor. The pilot would rely on external cameras for 360 degree vision, with various other visual modes included. Seeing the environment would be done with a cave mounted display akin to VR glasses that would be a part of the Neurohelmet.
2) Motion control - would be achieved by connecting the pilot to the mech's myomer muscles via a Neurohelmet. The Neoruhelmet would be a super-sensitive electroencephalogram (that thigy that picks up brain activity impulses and translates them into electrical signals), in such a way that it would detect brain impulses normally sent to the pilot's own muscles, and copy them, to apply them on to the myomer muscles. So if the pilot though about moving his left arm, he would move his actual arm, and also the Mech's arm. That way, piloting a mech would feel as natural as normal motion. Alternatively, with training, or perhaps a suitable technology, the pilots would learn to move the mech without moving their own muscles, so as to avoid becoming tired.
A fully automatic A.I. controlled mode would also be available for "autopilot" purposes. But such a mode would only have access to movement, and not to weapons.
3) Trigger control - would also be achieved through the neurohelmet, with the pilot having only to think with the intent to fire, and firing would be achieved. There would be no need for pedals, sticks, or controllers. Just a brain-targeting computer interface.
4) Life support - would be achieved through immersing the pilot in a gel or pressurized fluid with healing and nutritive properties (possibly nanites). This way, the pilot would be relatively safe from outside pressure, g-force changes and radiation, while also comfortably cooled/heated and kept fed. In case of breach and damage, the gel would auto-seal the breach, and it's healing properties would heal damage to the pilot as best as possible. The gel would also provide shock absorption.
5) Comfort - Since on an actual real-life battlefield, the mech would need to be as small as possible to avoid presenting a large battlefield target, the pilot would probably be positioned withing the gel in an upright, almost standing position, occupying the chest cavity of the mech, perapse reaching even to the pelvic area, and not the head. The head would be used to house sensors, cameras and communication equipment. This upright position of the pilot would allow for a small range of motion, just enough as to not cause cramping, but the pilot would be free-flowing in the thick gel, basically feeling as if weightless.
6) Sensory input - The pilot would control the mech through the neurohelmet, and get all of it's sensory input through an eye-and-ear mounted VR mask. So more-less total immersion. Available vision modes would include classic, X-ray, Infra red, nightvision, and augmented reality. All communications would be routed through these. The pilot could flip through cameras all around, above and below the mech, 360 degree coverage. Also, the pilot would be aware of the mech's damage and overall durability and where the damage is coming from by visual and acoustic stimuli.
So yeah..
A cockpit more akin to a Gundam than a Mech, but also, much more realistic and scientifically plausible.
Edited by Vellron2005, 06 August 2018 - 04:08 AM.