User Interaction Tools Supporting Collaborative Applications in Immersive Virtual Environments

TACOM currently has a Cave Automated Visual Envirionment (CAVE) device that it uses for product design reviews and evalutions of ground vehicle systems in a collaborative immersive setting. The goal of this SBIR project is to integrate a six degree offreedom motion base into TACOM's CAVE environment. As part of this Phase II effort, several research issues must be addressed. First a scene compensation strategy based on the motion base position and orientation is required. Secondly an investigationinto what driving cues are best presented through the motion base and what driving cues are best presented through the visual system must be performed. Finally, best method of performing heading tracking in the CAVE with the motion base must bedetermined. The final performance of the motion base system in the CAVE will be evaluated using driving simulation software in a typical product evaluation setting.