The Ben Heck Show

Ben Heck's Virtual Boy Rebuild (2) (6x44)

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Ben and Karen redesign a Nintendo Virtual Boy console as wearable virtual reality gaming headset. The new unit is sleeker and has different focus controls to allow it to be worn on your head like a modern VR helmet. It flips up like a welding helmet and promises portability not found on other VR systems! Ben prints out two layers of plastic. The first layer prevents the mirrors from hitting your eyes or acrylic. The second layer is a solid layer that completely blocks you off from the mirrors. Between these two layers, stiffening creates a solid unit. Additional screw hole tabs so that whatever else they build is easy to attach. Adding extra screw mounts gives you someplace to add the next thing. Ben designs from the “inside out” to ensure enough room for all critical components. He repositions the servo pc from the back to the front. He removes the cams that work the focus as that can be rebuilt later as they still have access to the focus tabs. He also removed the left and right mirror control connectors. Looking for additional ways to make the unit more compact he drops some capacitors down underneath. He does this while keeping track of the polarity. He attaches additional cables for added flexibility and also attaches servo cables directly to the circuit board. Ben recombines everything from the virtual boy into a more compact unit. The servo driver board is on the top instead of the back. He’ll add sliders for the focus rings when he goes to build them as an attachment. 3D printed clamps are on the end to hold the ribbon cables into place. On the bottom the main PCB has been moved back a little bit. A custom acrylic base has been added and connectors have been flipped around to connect through the bottom for added space. Next, he goes to work finding the best way to create some sort of head mounted unit. Ben opts to leave the battery pack and the controller the same as he decides that having a cable that runs down to your hand isn’t any