M3-Rowing Simulator

Simulator

Description of Setup

The Boat & The Scenario

A shortened single scull boat (Stämpfli Racing Boats, Switzerland) is placed in the middle of a CAVE. The stern is shown on the centre screen; the blade of a shortened oar on the lateral screen. The boat is mounted on a linear guide providing opposite movements between the boat and the rower in the longitudinal direction.

The kinematics of the oar and of the rower are used as an input for a rowing model calculating the actual boat velocity. Depending on this velocity, the virtual scenario surrounding the rower passes by.

More pictures about the Setup

The Haptic Display

Haptic feedback is generated by a reconfigurable rope robot, the r³–system. For this purpose, five ropes are connected in parallel to the outer end of the shortened oar. These ropes are guided over pulleys to motorized winches. The r³–system generates model-based, three-dimensional oar forces depending on the measured movements of the oar and the rower. In this way, realistic oar forces can be rendered. Alternatively, the r³–system can also be used to guide the user along a certain trajectory.

More pictures about the Setup

The Visual and Auditory Display

The virtual rowing scenario is two-dimensionally visualized on three projection screens sized 4.4m x 3.3m. However, on each screen, two projectors (Projection Design F3+, Norway) may also display stereoscopic panorama views.

Our CAVE is further surrounded by 112 loudspeakers and four subwoofers (Iosono GmbH, Germany). Up to 32 virtual sound sources can be arbitrarily moved in the plane of the loudspeakers, e.g. immersion of a horizontally aligned blade results in a loud splash at the point of immersion.

More pictures about the Setup

News Flash

16.12.2014
Our paper "Sonification and haptic feedback in addition to visual feedback enhances motor learning" has been published (Experimental Brain Research).

23.06.2014
New rowing model implemented: improved oar-water interaction!

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