Assessing the contribution of active somatosensory stimulation to self-acceleration perception in dynamic driving simulators

In dynamic driving simulators, the experience of operating a vehicle is reproduced by combining visual stimuli generated by graphical rendering with inertial stimuli generated by platform motion. Due to inherent limitations of the platform workspace, inertial stimulation is subject to shortcomings in the form of missing cues, false cues, and...

Multisensory Interactions in Head and Body Centered Perception of Verticality

Percepts of verticality are thought to be constructed as a weighted average of multisensory inputs, but the observed weights differ considerably between studies. In the present study, we evaluate whether this can be explained by differences in how visual, somatosensory and proprioceptive cues contribute to representations of the Head In Space ...

Individual motion perception parameters and motion sickness frequency sensitivity in fore-aft motion

Previous literature suggests a relationship between individual characteristics of motion perception and the peak frequency of motion sickness sensitivity. Here, we used well-established paradigms to relate motion perception and motion sickness on an individual level. We recruited 23 participants to complete a two-part experiment. In the first...

Efficacy of augmented visual environments for reducing sickness in autonomous vehicles

The risk of motion sickness is considerably higher in autonomous vehicles than it is in human-operated vehicles. Their introduction will therefore require systems that mitigate motion sickness. We investigated whether this can be achieved by augmenting the vehicle interior with additional visualizations. Participants were immersed in motion...

Sensitivity Analysis of an MPC-based Motion Cueing Algorithm for a Curve Driving Scenario

Despite gaining popularity, the use of Motion Cueing Algorithms (MCAs) based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) remains challenging due to the required tuning of a large number of cost function parameters. This paper investigates the effects of two critical MPC cost function parameters, the lateral specific force and roll rate error weights (Way...

Optimizing an Optimization-Based MCA using Perceived Motion Incongruence Models

In this paper the potential of Motion Incongruence Rating (MIR) models for the optimization of Motion Cueing Algorithms (MCAs) is investigated. In a human-in-the-loop simulator experiment, two optimization-based MCAs are compared for a roundabout scenario simulated on a medium-stroke hexapod simulator. The first MCA uses standard cueing error...

Comparison between filter- and optimization-based motion cueing algorithms for driving simulation

This paper describes a driving simulation experiment, executed on the Daimler Driving Simulator (DDS), in which a filter-based and an optimization-based motion cueing algorithm (MCA) were compared using a newly developed motion cueing quality rating method. The goal of the comparison was to investigate whether optimization-based MCAs have,...

Objective evaluation of prediction strategies for optimization-based motion cueing

Optimization-based motion cueing algorithms based on model predictive control have been recently implemented to reproduce the motion of a car within the limited workspace of a driving simulator. These algorithms require a reference of the future vehicle motion to compute a prediction of the system response. Assumptions regarding the future...

Continuous Subjective Rating of Perceived Motion Incongruence During Driving Simulation

Motion cueing algorithms are used in motion simulation to map the inertial vehicle motion onto the limited simulator motion space. This mapping causes mismatches between the unrestricted visual motion and the constrained inertial motion, which results in perceived motion incongruence (PMI). It is still largely unknown what exactly causes...

Effects of Target Signal Shape and System Dynamics on Feedforward in Manual Control

The human controller (HC) in manual control of a dynamical system often follows a visible and predictable reference path (target). The HC can adopt a control strategy combining closed-loop feedback and an open-loop feedforward response. The effects of the target signal waveform shape and the system dynamics on the human feedforward dynamics...

Effectiveness of a Computer-Based Helicopter Trainer for Initial Hover Training

Today, simulators are achieving levels of complexity and cost that are comparable to those of the aircraft they should replace. For this reason, questions have been raised, in both the technical and training communities, on the required level of simulation 1delity for effective pilot training. Computer Based Trainers (CBTs) are not currently...

Time-varying perceived motion mismatch due to motion scaling in curve driving simulation

Objective Model Selection for Identifying the Human Feedforward Response in Manual Control

Realistic manual control tasks typically involve predictable target signals and random disturbances. The human controller (HC) is hypothesized to use a feedforward control strategy for target-following, in addition to feedback control for disturbance-rejection. Little is known about human feedforward control, partly because common system...

Admittance-adaptive model-based approach to mitigate biodynamic feedthrough

Biodynamic feedthrough (BDFT) refers to the feedthrough of vehicle accelerations through the human body, leading to involuntary control device inputs. BDFT impairs control performance in a large range of vehicles under various circumstances. Research shows that BDFT strongly depends on adaptations in the neuromuscular admittance dynamics of the...

Constraints in Identification of Multi-Loop Feedforward Human Control Models

The human controller (HC) can greatly improve target-tracking performance by utilizing a feedforward operation on the target signal, in addition to a feedback response. System identification methods are used to determine the correct HC model structure: purely feedback or a combined feedforward/feedback model. In this paper, we investigate three...

The Predictability of a Target Signal Affects Manual Feedforward Control

In the manual control of a dynamic system, the human controller (HC) is often required to follow a visible and predictable reference path. Using the predictable aspect of a reference signal, through applying feedforward control, the HC can significantly improve performance as compared to a purely feedback control strategy. A proper definition of...