The Virtual PWC Facility

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The Virtual PWC Facility

• Tony Andrady
• Research Triangle Institute
• Klaus-Peter Beier
• University of Michigan

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The Virtual PWC Facility

• Tony Andrady
• Research Triangle Institute
• Klaus-Peter Beier
• University of Michigan

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The Virtual PWC Facility
Symbolically Depicted Environments
Futuristic
Indistinguishable from Reality
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The Virtual Presence
Symbolically Depicted Environments
Futuristic
Indistinguishable from Reality
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The Virtual Presence
Symbolically Depicted Environments
Environments sufficiently realistic to elicit
typical and valid user responses.
Futuristic
Indistinguishable from Reality
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Creating a Virtual Presence
CAVE
Teleoperation
Presence results in engagement of subject
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Engineering for Presence

• Realism of Virtual content
• An accurate physical interface
• A good logical environment
• physics rules
• behavioral rules

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The CAVE Environment

• Near 180 degree field of vision
• Physics-based dynamics simulator
• Scriptability of scenarios
• Data Acquisition
• (throttle, handle bar, position, time, reaction
  time)

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Cave Automatic Virtual Environment
 

 
Cave Hardware
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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• Equipment variables
• Trial-related variables

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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• visibility, vessel density, beach
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• Equipment variables
• Trial-related variables

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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• visibility, vessel density, beach
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• obstacles, routes of boats
• Equipment variables
• Trial-related variables

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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• visibility, vessel density, beach
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• obstacles, routes of boats
• Equipment variables
• Trial-related variables

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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• visibility, vessel density, beach
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• obstacles, routes of boats
• Equipment variables
• acceleration, turning radius, steering
• Trial-related variables

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Cave Variables

• Content image variables
• visibility, vessel density, beach
• Scriptable dynamic action variables
• obstacles, routes of boats
• Equipment variables
• acceleration, turning radius, steering
• Trial-related variables
• course, time constraints, specific tasks

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Experimental Design
Operator
Virtual Lake
PWC INTERFACE
Cave Software
Custom Software
Basic Feedback Loop
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Experimental Design
Operator
Virtual Lake
PWC INTERFACE
Cave Software
Custom Software
Data Acquisition
Display and Analysis
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Utility of a Virtual PWC Facility

• A virtual environment that is realistic enough
• to study human risk factors in recreational
  boating (PWC)
• An economical simulation tool for regulators and
  equipment designers.
• A training tool for highly skilled vessel
  operators, enforcers, and educators.

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Progress Report

• Two virtual lake environments
• Flexibility of testing
• Validated using both novice and experienced users
• Demonstrated using real subjects

University of Michigan VR Lab
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Live Demonstration

• Professor Peter Beier will discuss the technical
• features of the CAVE. This will be followed
  by
• a demonstration and test rides.
• Logs of your individual runs created at the time
  of operation will be available for viewing after
  lunch.
• A box lunch will be served after the demonstration