VIRTUAL – “Virtual reality systems for perceived ergonomic quality testing of driving task and design”

Overview

The main objective of the project is to develop an integrated platform, based on Virtual Reality (VR) technology, including systems for testing and related experimental procedures, to be used for better studying and improving the ergonomic design of the vehicles.

The driving idea is to make available testing systems where a person can interact with a virtual representation of the vehicle and perform realistic evaluation tests on relevant aspects of the ergonomic quality of the vehicles, such as internal and external visibility, reach and operation of the main controls such as steering wheel and gear shift.

The project intends to develop three types of systems characterised by increasing levels of virtualisation of the vehicle to be tested and corresponding complexity of the hardware and software devices. The first system aims at reproducing a level of presence of the inner and outer environment of the vehicle suitable for the assessments of internal and external visibility. The second system aims at introducing the tactile interaction with the controls of the vehicle, simulated by physical mock ups with controlled interactive force feedback, while giving the person the visual representation of his/her movements (avatar) in the virtual environment by means of appropriate motion tracking and reproducing techniques. The third, most sophisticated, system aims at substituting the physical mock ups of the controls by more generic force effectors (haptic interfaces) able to give the person the sense of reaching and operating a real control (existing and defined only in the virtual environment) coherent with its characteristics as represented in the virtual environment.

Partners

CRF, Automotive Manufacturer
Italy
www.crf.it

Ecole Polytechnique Féderale de Lausanne, Virtual Reality Laboratory (VRLab)
Switzerland
vrlab.epfl.ch

FhG, Research organisation on information technology and ergonomics, Germany
Germany
www.iao.fraunhofer.de

IAD, Research institute on ergonomics (part of university)
Finland
turva.me.tut.fi/euro/iad.htm

Lough. HS, University on human aspect on vehicle design
Great Britain
www.lboro.ac.uk

MIRALab, University of Geneva
Switzerland
www.miralab.ch

PERCRO, Research institute on virtual reality
Italy
www.sssup.it

URE, Researcher Centre in psychology and cognitive aspects
Germany
www.uni-regensburg.de