Attempt to recreate the AMU Shooter's View Video

First topic message reminder :

Ever since I saw the AMU video from the shooter's point of view (link) I've wanted to be able to do the same thing. I've had most of the parts for a while and finally put them all together over Christmas break.

See Through The Eyes of a Champion version 1 (hackaday.io)

The idea is to use VR/FPV tech to create "shooting goggles". The camera is in front of the VR headset and the shooter sees the video display the same as FPV drones. The session can be recorded, shared and analyzed. We can all see what a shooter actually sees and does, rather than trying to describe it. FPV technology is pretty incredible, their resolution is quite good and their latency is typically in the low 10's of milliseconds in very small and lightweight packages.

The result has to be considered mostly a failure. The videos are good enough to review and analyze, but shooting using the system does not feel natural. Even with some optimizing (lens focal length, aperture, brightness, contrast etc.) shooting with this setup does not feel natural and the resolution just isn't good enough. I might try again if the cost of 4k cameras and displays come down, but right now they cost too much just to fool around. 

However, if/when I have time there will be a version 2, I want to gut the goggles so there is nothing in front of the shooter's eye except a beamsplitter (link to description). That way the shooter sees the same as normal (a little dimmer) and mount the camera to the side. I don't know when I'll have time to do that, and the mechanical system to hold everything will be more of a challenge so will take some time to work out, but I wanted to share in case it inspires someone else to get it done before I do.

I tried a PogoCam, which is similar to the Aimcam. The camera is on the arm of the glasses. It could not see the dot, so I tried attaching it to the inside of the arm which was better but still not right and I played with it a little taping and ziptieing it in different locations.

Basically the camera has to be very close to inline with the eye to give videos that look correct like the AMU system. A dot scope is a little more forgiving and can work, but even with a big tube and a small camera it will be partially blocking the shooter's vision. For open sights the camera has to be exactly inline with the eye to be any use.

SteveT wrote:I tried a PogoCam, which is similar to the Aimcam. The camera is on the arm of the glasses. It could not see the dot, so I tried attaching it to the inside of the arm which was better but still not right and I played with it a little taping and ziptieing it in different locations.

Basically the camera has to be very close to inline with the eye to give videos that look correct like the AMU system. A dot scope is a little more forgiving and can work, but even with a big tube and a small camera it will be partially blocking the shooter's vision. For open sights the camera has to be exactly inline with the eye to be any use.

I knew it wasnt precisely what you were looking to achieve. But maybe a jumping off point. I know next to nothing about this kind of thing (cameras, lenses, diopters, etc.). I have an idea for a cellphone app I believe would be helpful to shooters like us, but no idea how to do anything about it other than the initial idea, lol.  
I saw the system on the “Mind over Matter” dvd on B.E. The CMP used to sell and I thought the same thing as you. If only I had this!

As far as having the camera block the shooters vision, is it all possible to do it like a Periscope type but with a 2 way mirror so the shooter could see through?  Then the camera would be out of the way at an 90° angle to the shooters eye, but the view would be exactly inline with the shooters pupil. Just spit balling. Maybe talk to your ophthalmologist the next time you get your eyes checked and see what that industry could provide?  You’ve most likely thought of these before. Like I said, I know very little and sometimes take forever to say it! I mean, the army obviously figured it out. Too bad there isn’t some plans or patent on the device to help surrender its mysteries to you. 
-Rob

Single_handed wrote:
-Rob

Yes, i've seen it called a beam splitter, basically a mirror that reflects part of the light and passes through part. The shooter sees a dimmer image, but (relatively) unchanged. It may take me a little while to get back to this, but that is my plan for version 3. Version 2 will be the essentially the same, but with a better and more adjustable lens. The problem is the lens is also a lot longer and heavier so I need to make the support structure for it.

This method was patented in 2004-
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6739873B1/en