Transmitter design.

[Ross Northcott]

All tx should have built in hand warmers, i mean the grip part on the side should heat up a little.

[andylinney]

I guess the trims on the back is a mixed blessing, I'm forever knocking the sliders on the side of my DSX9 as I move it around, the trims are indeed a PITA but they're also difficult to knock out of position, I'd hope for some form of 'protection' against accidental knocks on a rear / side mounted switch before I'd truly consider it.

[msssltd]

Take the computer keyboard as an analagy, it was designed to be difficult to use and there have been several attempts to come up with an easier and more ergonomic design and none of them have really caught on as people have invested so much time in learning how to type on the existing design they are not willing to change.

The compter keyboard being designed to be difficult to use is a bit of a misconception. The keys are where they are due to the early mechanical (Remington) typewriters jamming when adjacent characters adjacent on the type head were typed in quick succession. The keyboard layout was then designed so that the letters occurring most commonly together were spaced apart. Basically, due to the limitations of the mechanical action, it was easier to change the behaviour of the typists (who do not yet exist) than change the mechanics of the mechanism. In other country's, where the language places different characters together the keyboard layout is different, AZERTY being common in other central EU countries.

If you have only ever used a computer keyboard I can assure you that you have no idea what typing discomfort feels like

Failure of alternative keyboard arrangements to take off is quite likely down to the additional costs being greater than the benefits. I very much y regret that it is just about impossible to get a decent heavy duty keyboard these days. They just can't compete with the cheap and nasty keyboards beloved by the mass market of two finger typists.

Another thing that might put them off inovating is the age demographic of there target audience, ie there are a fair number of us who are no longer in the first flush of youth and there is a stereotype of us grumpy old men as being unwilling to accept change.

I guess the word you are looking for is conservative. Possibly a trait that is common in flyers due to the dire and often expensive consequences of taking on too many risks. Scuba diving is similar with new people of all ages tending to buy traditional designs which are proven to work. New stuff comes along but no one wants to take the risk of being different.

God knows I am starting to get fed up with bloody MS releasing an new version of windows/office every couple of years just when I got used to the previous version.

Completely different. That's just Microsoft making a buck by forcing you into an upgrade cycle. When Windows was new they sold it on the common user interface with its clear benefits. Now it is established they change the interface to persuade you to think the product underneath is somehow better. The benefits of the upgrade cycle are rapidly diminishing for consumer with the Windows product becoming all gloss and no content.

While all very interesting, as we are looking to innovate on RC flight transmitters. Changing the ergonomics is a fabulous idea, but what about the underlying operation? How about some sort of force feedback. A telemetry system that feeds back to the sticks a proportional representation of the forces on the control surfaces. Even more radical, could it be possible to integrate motion sensing with computer control so that the radio alters the input in accordance with the aircrafts orientation. Sort of a return to type writers, where we decide we have the technology to change the typewriter rather than the behaviour of the typist.

[Gate88]

How about some sort of force feedback. A telemetry system that feeds back to the sticks a proportional representation of the forces on the control surfaces.

Now I'm liking that idea!

[Ewan]

Msssltd,

You make many valid points and agree with most of them.

now going to hibernate in the corner

[andylinney]

I must admit, I really like the 'coolie hat' as a tool for cyclic trim, I was lucky enough a few years ago to have an hour in a Tornado simulator up in Lossiemouth and they use the same idea for trim on the control column which was very natural to use. Putting it somwhere easily manipulated would be the challenge and it could prove quite vunerable too (but no more than a toggle switch I guess...).

[GravityKills]

getting rid of the trims is maybe too much to ask. But I wish you could at least disable them.
There is absolutely no need for trims in a flybarless heli, and accidentally moving them is the same as cyclic stick input, while on the ground (don't try...)

[ddracer]

All tx should have built in hand warmers, i mean the grip part on the side should heat up a little.

The DX6 did have for a while but after the recall the feature was removed. LOL

[pgkevet]

Some few years back there was an online design for a heli chair.. rudder and cyclic levers with potentiometers sending through a tx.. a case of sit down and fly like the real thing.

No good for 3D but fun looking - and nice for the scale chappies..