Race Voice!

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:50 pm
Race Voice! Check it out!

A very unique system that gives real time instant voice alerts and data. Critical engine information such as High Water Temp, Low Voltage, Low Oil Pressure and more. Data values such as Wheel Speed through Corners, Split Timing, Lateral G's, Linear G's and Speed Announcements. Upshift announcement when approaching Red Line and Down Shift announcement when lugging the engine or below optimal engine performance. Voice alerts can be heard with stand alone ear buds or can also be used with any radio system so driver to crew communication and race voice work together. Race Voice works with any data logging system that has an unused accessible CANBus Port. Plug and Play with AIM or Motec kits or can be adapted to other systems with their self wire power/data cable.

For more information go to http://www.racevoice.com or contact Shawn at Motion Dynamics mdracing.com
603-447-3543
Last edited by MoDy on Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:20 pm
Here's a link to what alerts and notifications are available and what they sound like:

https://racevoice.com/voice-announcements/
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:12 pm
CAUTION - LONG "Blather"

I was impressed that someone has taken on the missing link of cockpit comms and crew information delivery. I think it is useful, and a great approach to get "eyes' back in the cockpit BUT only when needed. I hope I may offer my observations and that they are taken not as criticisms, but observations of similar systems/approaches from my experience and background. As a reminder - this will be lengthy.

A few years back I picked up a unit designed for home alerts to focus on a few emergency indications also. I wanted to just hit a few high points, like Fire, Oil, Temp, and Fuel. Except for Fire, the others would be a call to look in the cockpit and see whats-what. FIRE would be a call for very specific action! Each is easily added with sensors wired to the device, and then cable the headset. I was going to use my wife's voice on my system. When we we were living in NZ, she was chosen by a Kiwi developer to be the voice for a flight annunciator for "Top Dressers," or as we know them in the US -- Crop Dusters. She was appropriately dubbed, "Naggin' Nancy" by the developer.

I base my observations and suggestions from my experience as an AF fighter pilot in the Phantom. The only aural indicators we had for the longest time were; Angle of Attack, Sidewinder Missile Growl, Radar threat warning, two radios, and the other crew member over intercom, and jet noise. I can say when we finally got an aural warning system, it took a bit to get used to, but we really paid attention to "Bitchin' Betty." She is still heard in the FA-18 and other aircraft and is credited with numerous "saves." It really works. In the B-58, when the AF first implemented voice warning systems, they "proved" a female voice got the crew's attention faster and more often than a male voice. Please don't tell your wife/GF! So with that backdrop, I was disappointed to hear an MS-style "robot voice" -- but maybe it is still in Beta, and for that, I offer what follows.

If I may, I find the concept of the G-annunciator as more than "interesting," and offer a suggestion. We race in a 2-D world (mostly) and if we exceed GRIP we slide off track. In an aircraft when you exceed the limits - you fall from the sky. The closest similar announcement we had as an aural indicator, was the AOA - Angle of Attack, and if exceeded we'd approach stall, then stall. I think the implementation of similar (2-D) announcement might be very useful. Perhaps something other than a specific announcement of existing "G" (1.2, 1.3, etc) might be a better implementation.

I'll try and explain the AOA annunciator in a G indicator sense. When we are cornering and our grip is at the "sweet spot" it would be nice to have a steady tone. In the aircraft, the sweet spot was "on-speed." Not max G or AOA, but "optimum." At lower than optimum G (AOA), present a slow, lower paced tone that increases in frequency and pitch as you get nearer to the sweet spot. Then as the tires reach/near max grip the steady tone. And, just as you start to exceed the grip, a higher pitched faster frequency tone, and of course when you slide you don't need to hear about it!

For the lap timing, actual time may not be as important as other cues. I currently use a laptimer aural indicator, the RaceCeiver, with an IR sensor. [I have yet to try out its integration with the transponder, but it is supposed to work.] For those not familiar, it takes your first laptime as a baseline, then if the next is faster, it announces, "Fast" and when you get one that is faster still, it announces "Faster" and resets timing based on that lap. Very clever, and the board must be very small as the device is about the size of a matchbox. Not suggesting pirating, reverse engineering, just what is possible. As a quick aside, I like the concept of a "Speed Announcement." Someone in my ear letting me know how fast I'm going, without using a HUD or dash mounted instrument, again keeps my eyes out and engaged. It could let me know how I am doing with my planned corner entry/exit speeds.

For all of these indicators, the option to set thresholds is important. Slicks vs street tires for G and Grip as an obvious example. Pacing of the speed reference might be made adjustable to faster for high acceleration cars - or slower for mine. :D

I apologize for going on here a bit. Even though I was "bred" as an Aero-Engineer, and did MS work there too, I finished my MS in Human Factors. My main research topic was HF in Air to Air Combat, using a second-by second operational analysis approach. I recall documenting about nine (9) separate aural indicators/warnings during engagements, all while maneuvering in a high-g environment. It became clear as a user and researcher, each of these aural indicators provided valuable information, but were simultaneously "stressors;" and not always "heard" due to other factors. These missed cues, signals, etc, could influence the outcome of an engagement. The best example I can offer was from a F-1 race where one of the drivers told the crew on headset comms - "...don't bother me now -- I'm busy!"

Clearly, an off track excursion can ruin not only a great lap, but finishing position, or low oil pressure an engine, etc, and put you out of the race. But if we can "know" that these systems are being monitored, get appropriate feedback to maximize our lap, keep eyes out and on the engagement at hand, we are ahead of our competition.

As I conclude, I really like the approach and general implementation. With any new product there is always room for development/improvement. I hope you take these words as encouragement, and not any critique, suggesting a flawed product. It is not. This is a niche that is ready to be filled, and I wish you a lot of success, and encourage your continued development and success.

Maybe my final request -- Keep the prices down! As a metric maybe like; Tires or Brakes, but not Engines!

For any other readers: If you've gotten this far, thank you-- I feel your pain. I warned at the outset it could be a bit of a blather. You ask the time - I build you a watch!


Cheers - Jim

STANDARD DISCLAIMER - not associated with any product mentioned here, just a user.
When I used to fly, I was called an AVIATOR.
Now, I race cars. So, am I called a PAVIATOR?
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:10 pm
Thanks for the review and the ideas! When RaceVoice was being tested, we had it in a "black box" and it had been named "black betty" :)

As far as beta/etc - RaceVoice is being released starting in January 2019 - so we are out of the beta/test phase as we have been testing it all year at several different tracks and tuning how it works. RaceVoice does support software updates (for both the PC side and the device side) so there could be a way to introduce new ideas in the future.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:08 pm
Very impressive Steve
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:47 pm
I"ll say again (maybe with more clarity) - potentially a very useful aid to getting critical information to the driver, for warning and decision making. I'll continue to watch its development with great interest.

Cheers - Jim
When I used to fly, I was called an AVIATOR.
Now, I race cars. So, am I called a PAVIATOR?

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:30 pm
Hi Jim (PhantomJock)
Thanks for the review and parallel perspective. As a Principal in RaceVoice it is interesting to hear how others are interpreting what RaceVoice is capable of and we appreciate your following our progress.

From my perspective and having worked with Steve Spano on this project, I can tell everyone who reads this that RaceVoice really does work. That statement is premised on having used RaceVoice in my own SRF3 for the last 15 months. The vMinimum speed combined with MPH announcements allow you to quantify if you actually did a turn better or worse as it happens, whereas predictive gains are an aggregate. If you need to get just one, then two, then three, etc turns right this device will provide the information to do that. Using RaceVoice you can learn while on-track what works and what doesn’t to adjust your line, entry speed or mid corner speed to go faster. Plus how many times have you seen a driver hit the rev limiter which is the equivalent of hitting the brakes. I know I’ve done it. With RaceVoice you stay eyes up even in busy corners and especially at the start of a race for those 2nd gear starts. At Watkins Glen there was headwind on the back straight which resulted in the MPH notifications oscillating 116, 117, 116 even though the shift lights on my dash were nearly maxed out and I was at a point on the track where you would normally shift into 5th. Knowing my target MPH was 118-119 where I would normally hear the upshift notification I was able to delay my upshift to get those extra 2 MPH. RaceVoice helped me pass a lot of cars in that headwind.

I am looking forward to seeing how others are going to benefit from the use of this product as a bunch of drivers will be using RaceVoice at the Florida Majors. If you are interested in knowing more and attending the Florida events come by and talk to us. Steve and I will be racing under the Motion Dynamics CSR canopy while there along with Dave Auer.

Jim Regan
SRF3 #0
https://www.racevoice.com
http://www.permitlinkusa.com
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 10:27 pm
Jim -

That sounds great. Please provide feedback/updates (here?) as you get more (and distill) from the users at the Majors. Look forward to having a chat sometime in FL/elsewhere. It is a "niche" that interests me much - if you hadn't noted from my earlier comments. :D

Cheers - Jim
When I used to fly, I was called an AVIATOR.
Now, I race cars. So, am I called a PAVIATOR?

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:53 am
I agree, too much information can be distracting. Noise, any noise is fatiguing.

I have been testing RaceVoice for the last few race events and found limiting the voice output is important. It is personal preference as to which outputs you want to hear, alarms are great and are never heard unless there is a problem. Data output is unlimited but can easily be customized. Fortunately we can't fall from the sky like a fighter jet.

It won't make the care handle better but does allow immediate feedback which is important especially when learning new tracks.

We will continue to test and help with upgrades over the winter.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 2:05 pm
Thanks for the help Bruce!
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