Wrap-around Simulator

Construction

Dome interior

Interior of the dome, under construction in 1995.

Dome exterior

Exterior of dome in 1995.

Acura RS

Donated Acura RS.

The WAS consists of a 360-degree dome installed in early 1995. The dome was built on site at the Human Factors Research Laboratory under Section 12 on the west end of Mariucci Arena. The dome is 12.5 feet at the peak and has 15.5 feet internal diameter. The dome's interior walls are custom-molded fiberglass. A track located in the ceiling provides a mounting point for projectors and cable connections. A section of the rear wall can be opened, allowing vehicles to be moved in and out of the dome.

Vehicle hardware

The simulator is based on a full-size Acura RS. The car was donated by Honda to the lab. The transmission and engine were removed and donated to a local technical college. The car's gas and brake pedals are connected to potentiometers to determine position. The car's steering wheel are connected to an electronic motor to provide force feedback. These controls are connected to a PC using a National Instruments AT-MIO-16E-10 data card.

Audio

The car is fitted with a Cerwin-Vega satellite/subwoofer speaker system to provide engine/road noise in addition to other environmental sounds. The car also two Aura Bass Shakers bolted to the frame under the front seats. These powerful subwoofers provide a vibration effect similar to the engine. The audio system is powered by a Sony STR-D365 stereo receiver.

Projection system

The simulator uses three Proxima 9250+ projectors to provide a 180-degree forward view. The projectors have a 1024x768 resolution. The forward screen is a seamless 24-foot Da-Lite screen. A 60-degree rear view is projected using a single Electrohome ECP-3100 at a resolution of 640x480.

Computer hardware

All vehicle hardware in connected to a PC running Linux. This PC communicates using TCP/IP with an SGI Onyx. The Onyx calculates vehicle dynamics, draws the scene, and processes audio.

Simulation software

The simulation software is written by HFRL staff in C/C++. The software uses the MultiGen-Paradigm Vega and SGI Performer APIs. The lab creates custom 3D roadway models for the simulations.

Construction timeline