Four Different Multimodal Setups for Non-Aerial Vehicle Simulations—A Case Study with a Speedboat Simulator

Sergio Casas,José Riera,Marcos Fernández

doi:10.3390/mti1020010

Sergio Casas, José Riera + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/mti1020010

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Abstract

Vehicle simulators are multimodal interactive applications used in many human activities with different purposes. However, they are sometimes expensive systems that need to be carefully studied before they are designed and built, since some simulators can actually be much more expensive than the simulated vehicle. This is an important issue, although it is sometimes overlooked in scientific research. This paper proposes four different setups (with a variety of visual, sound, motion generation, and user-input interfaces) for non-aerial vehicle simulation, using a speedboat simulator as a case study. These setups are analysed in terms of their cost and their effectiveness is discussed. Rough figures are provided to give a comparative insight into the economic order of magnitude necessary to design and build a vehicle simulator.

Highlights

Introduction and Related WorkThe history of modern vehicle simulation dates back to the early years of the twentieth century [1].There are records of primitive flight simulators as early as 1910 [2]
Computer-based vehicle simulations appeared after World War II, the earlier visual systems were based on TV cameras with mock-ups or pre-recorded scenarios
During the 1960s and especially the 1970s, when Stewart-Gough [5] parallel manipulators were introduced and applied for vehicle simulation, these kinds of systems became common in flight simulators [6]

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and Related WorkThe history of modern vehicle simulation dates back to the early years of the twentieth century [1].There are records of primitive flight simulators as early as 1910 [2]. Computer-based vehicle simulations appeared after World War II, the earlier visual systems were based on TV cameras with mock-ups or pre-recorded scenarios. The use of motion platforms to add self-motion perceptual cues and achieve physical or perceptual validity [3] in vehicle simulators is not new either. They were first applied to simulations in the 1950s, earlier devices, like the Link Trainer, tried to include this effect in simulators, with little success [4]. During the 1960s and especially the 1970s, when Stewart-Gough [5] parallel manipulators were introduced and applied for vehicle simulation, these kinds of systems became common in flight simulators [6]

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