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This contribution describes the FIVIS project. The project’s goal is the development of an immersive bicycle simulation platform for several applications in the areas of biomechanics, sports, traffic education, road safety and entertainment. To take physical, optical and acoustical characteristics of cycling into account, FIVIS uses a special immersive visualization system, a motion platform and a standard bicycle with sensors and actuators, as well as a surround sound system. First experimental results have shown that the FIVIS simulator provides a realistic training and exercising environment for traffic education and stress research.
The objective of the FIVIS project is to develop a bicycle simulator which is able to simulate real life bicycle ride situations as a virtual scenario within an immersive environment. A sample test bicycle is mounted on a motion platform to enable a close to reality simulation of turns and balance situations. The visual field of the bike rider is enveloped within a multi-screen visualization environment which provides visual data relative to the motion and activity of the test bicycle. This implies the bike rider has to pedal and steer the bicycle as they would a traditional bicycle, while forward motion is recorded and processed to control the visualization. Furthermore, the platform is fed with real forces and accelerations that have been logged by a mobile data acquisition system during real bicycle test drives. Thus, using a feedback system makes the movements of the platform reflect the virtual environment and the reaction of the driver (e.g. steering angle, step rate).
