BCoE puts research in motion
September 4, 2008
STARKVILLE, Miss – Research at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) has been set into motion with the instillation of a new driving simulator. The nearly $500,000 installment, provides researchers the opportunity to gather test subject data from seemingly real-life situations within the safe and controlled environment of a lab.
Funded by the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) this instillation is seen as an investment for the military as well as human factors and ergonomics research being conducted at CAVS.
Resembling TARDEC’s own simulator, the new CAVS instillation will allow the human factors and ergonomics research group to work with the Army to research ways to enhance simulation. However, the capabilities provided by the simulator will also allow the research group to, among other things, further their efforts in researching the effects of environmental stimulation, distractions and ergonomics on drivers.
“The investment in equipment like this assures our ability to maintain our capabilities to perform leading edge research,” said Zach Rowland, CAVS deputy director. “The center continually reinvests in our research activities to provide research faculty and staff tools to investigate new theories and advance the science in our core areas of expertise.”
Sporting a Nissan Maxima frame, donated by the Nissan Corporation, the simulator boasts a six-degree-of-freedom motion base and a three-side wrap around projection screen. While the instillation has been operational since April, CAVS officials are continuing to work with the manufacturer, RealTime Technologies Inc., to further enhance the fidelity of the system.
The addition of a rear screen and LCD side and rear view mirrors is expected to be complete by October. Combined with the real-time, reconfigurable visualization and audio software these additions round out the fully immersive simulator experience. By providing drivers with “real” stimulation through sight, hearing and feeling, the enhanced realism of the instillation opens CAVS to many new research opportunities.
“While CAVS previous motion simulator continues to be a valuable research tool for human factors engineers in the Bagley College of Engineering, this new instillation provides new opportunities to not only CAVS researchers, but also the industrial and regional partners we serve,” said John McGinley, a research associate.
For more information about the resources available at CAVS please contact Roger King, director of CAVS.