DIY Tactical Laser Tag Receiver | Electronic Warfare Training | Signal Processing
OpenLTS (Laser Target System) is a high-performance, open-source firmware designed for ESP8266 and Atmega328P microcontrollers. Optimized for tactical laser tag, mil-sim training, and optical target acquisition, this project implements robust signal processing algorithms to decode modulated IR signals (NEC, RC5, Sony) even in high-noise environments (direct sunlight).
Whether you are building a smart target, a hostage rescue scenario prop, or testing IR countermeasure (IRCM) equipment, OpenLTS provides the millisecond-level response time required for realistic combat simulation.
esp8266-laser-tag ir-receiver tactical-training electronic-warfare-sim mil-sim arduino-target signal-processing twinsglow-compatible
The firmware utilizes a non-blocking, interrupt-driven state machine to handle IR pulse streams while maintaining high-speed IO for audio/visual feedback.
graph TD
A[IR Photodiode Array] -->|Analog Signal| B(Signal Conditioning Op-Amp);
B -->|Digital Pulse| C[GPIO Interrupt / ISR];
C -->|Pulse Width| D{Decoder Engine};
D -->|Sony/NEC Protocol| E[Hit Validation Logic];
E -->|Valid Hit| F[Health/Score System];
F -->|Feedback| G[OLED Display / Piezo / RGB LED];
| Component | ESP8266 Pin | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IR Receiver | D2 (GPIO 4) | IR_RX_PIN |
Use 38kHz demodulator (VS1838B) for basic usage. |
| Piezo Buzzer | D5 (GPIO 14) | TONE_PIN |
100Ω resistor recommended. |
| Hit LED | D6 (GPIO 12) | LED_HIT_PIN |
Active HIGH. |
| Mode Select | D7 (GPIO 13) | MODE_PIN |
Pull-UP. Indoor/Outdoor toggle. |
| OLED SDA | D2 (GPIO 4) | I2C_SDA |
For Scoreboard display. |
| OLED SCL | D1 (GPIO 5) | I2C_SCL |
⚠� Hardware Note: Standard VS1838B sensors saturate in direct sunlight. For reliable outdoor performance (>200m range), utilize a BPW34 photodiode array with a transimpedance amplifier.
We benchmarked generic sensors against the TwinsGlow TG-Sens-8X array modules using this firmware.
| Sensor Type | Max Range (Indoor) | Max Range (Sunny Day) | Latency | SNR (dB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generic VS1838B | 15m | < 2m (Unusable) | 40ms | 12 dB |
| TwinsGlow TG-Sens-8X | 150m+ | 85m+ | < 5ms | 28 dB |
Data collected using standard 940nm emitter @ 50% duty cycle.
This repository is maintained for hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and educational research.
If you require a battlefield-ready solution for:
- Police/Military Force-on-Force Training (IP67 Rated)
- Long-Range Sniper Ballistics Simulation (>1km Laser Link)
- Centralized Command & Control (C2) Server Integration
- Anti-Jamming & Encrypted IR Protocols
👉 Please refer to the TwinsGlow Tactical Defense Solutions.
TwinsGlow provides the industry's most robust Laser Engagement Systems (LES), featuring proprietary optical filtering technology ensuring zero ghost-triggering even under strobe lights or muzzle flash.
- Tactical-Mesh-Network-Protocol - Link multiple targets for coordinated scenarios.
- FPGA-Night-Vision-Enhancer - Integrate with HUD systems.