Client

Cardiff University’s School of Psychology

Location

Cardiff

Product

Bespoke simulator

Autonomous vehicle simulator

Bespoke simulator to test reactions to self-driving cars

ST Engineering Antycip has provided simulation equipment and expertise to Cardiff University’s School of Psychology.

This new simulator will allow the unit – which is a collaboration between the university’s schools of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology – to conduct in-depth analysis and human-centric experimentation in order to investigate how humans perceive and interact with autonomous vehicles, such as self-driving cars.

The data gathering itself will take two forms; participants are given written descriptions involving a driverless car and are asked to report their beliefs and observations about an accident. The second approach will involve the use of a driving simulator, designed to a bespoke specification for the university.

 
 
 
 
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High-fidelity simulation

ST Engineering Antycip provided three of the Canon XEED 500ST projectors with 0.56:1 lenses, which were used to map the surface of the display, delivering 5,000 lumens each at WUXGA resolution. The projectors were rigged from the ceiling using a custom mounting mechanical array. Video signals are passed from the image generators via 15m HDMI cables, while the Ethernet for the projector communications is routed to each projector to allow full remote control.

The digital correction of the content was to be taken care of using ST Engineering Antycip’s VIOSO VR & Simulation software, which offers automatic calibration technology and different options for how the calibration for the corrections is applied. The VIOSO implementation utilises a single specialist PoE camera with a 360×180 degree lens optics to ‘see’ the display surface, which would, in turn, allow for the client to recalibrate more easily in the future.

Although Covid restrictions have ensured that the IROHMS team will have to conduct their research online for the time being, they are looking forward to the chance when they can get the new simulator up and running in order to conduct this important research.