Using a Telepresence System to Investigate Route Choice Behavior

A combination of a telepresence system and a microscopic traffic simulator is introduced. It is evaluated using a hotel evacuation scenario. Four different kinds of supporting information are compared, standard exit signs, floor plans with indicated exit routes, guiding lines on the floor and simulated agents leading the way. The results indicate that guiding lines are the most efficient way to support an evacuation but the natural behavior of following others comes very close. On another level the results are consistent with previously performed real and virtual experiments and validate the use of a telepresence system in evacuation studies. It is shown that using a microscopic traffic simulator extends the possibilities for evaluation, e.g. by adding simulated humans to the environment.Comment: Preprint of TGF11 (Traffic and Granular Flow, Moscow, September 2011) conference proceedings contributio

Extended Range Telepresence for Evacuation Training in Pedestrian Simulations

In this contribution, we propose a new framework to evaluate pedestrian simula-tions by using Extended Range Telepresence. Telepresence is used as a virtual reality walking simulator, which provides the user with a realistic impression of being present and walking in a virtual environment that is much larger than the real physical environment, in which the user actually walks. The validation of the simulation is performed by comparing motion data of the telepresent user with simulated data at some points of the simulation. The use of haptic feedback from the simulation makes the framework suitable for training in emergency situations.Comment: Contribution to Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics 2010 (PED2010) conferenc

Using Extended Range Telepresence to Investigate Route Choice Behavior

A combination of a telepresence system and a microscopic traffic simulator is introduced. It is evaluated using a hotel evacuation scenario. Four different kinds of supporting information are compared, standard exit signs, floor plans with indicated exit routes, guiding lines on the floor and simulated agents leading the way. The results indicate that guiding lines are the most efficient way to support an evacuation but the natural behavior of following others comes very close. On another level the results are consistent with previously performed real and virtual experiments and validate the use of a telepresence system in evacuation studies. It is shown that using a microscopic traffic simulator extends the possibilities for evaluation, e.g. by adding simulated humans to the environment

A Novel Haptic Interface for Free Locomotion in Extended Range Telepresence Scenarios

Telepresence gives a user the impression of actually being present in a distant environment. A mobile teleoperator acts as a proxy in this target environment, replicates the user\u27s motion, and records sensory information, which is transferred to the user and displayed in real-time. As a result the user is immersed in the target environment. The user can then control the teleoperator by walking naturally. Motion Compression, a nonlinear mapping between the user\u27s and the robot\u27s motion, allows exploration of large target environments even from small user environments. For manipulation tasks haptic feedback is important. However, current haptic displays do not allow wide-area motion. In this work we present our design of a novel haptic display for simultaneous wide area motion and haptic interaction

A Framework for Evaluating the VISSIM Traffic Simulation with Extended Range Telepresence

This paper presents a novel framework for combining traffic simulations and extended range telepresence. The real user\u27s position data can thus be used for validation and calibration of models of pedestrian dynamics, while the user experiences a high degree of immersion by interacting with agents in realistic simulations

Haptic Guidance for Extended Range Telepresence

A novel navigation assistance for extended range telepresence is presented. The haptic information from the target environment is augmented with guidance commands to assist the user in reaching desired goals in the arbitrarily large target environment from the spatially restricted user environment. Furthermore, a semi-mobile haptic interface was developed, one whose lightweight design and setup configuration atop the user provide for an absolutely safe operation and high force display quality

Wide-Area Haptic Guidance: Taking the User by the Hand

In this paper, we present a novel use of haptic information in extended range telepresence, the wide-area haptic guidance. It consists of force and position signals applied to the user\u27s hand in order to improve safety, accuracy, and speed in some telepresent tasks. Wide-area haptic guidance assists the user in reaching a desired position in a remote environment of arbitrary size without degrading the feeling of presence. Several methods for haptic guidance are analyzed. With active haptic guidance, the user is guided by superimposed forces that pull him into the desired direction of motion, whereas under passive haptic guidance, the movement of the user is lightened in the preferred direction and constrained in the other directions. By using closed-loop haptic guidance instead of open-loop haptic guidance, not only is the user guided to his target but also the deviation from the desired target path is reduced. The proposed guidance methods were tested with a haptic interface specifically designed for extended range telepresence

Calibrating Dynamic Pedestrian Route Choice with an Extended Range Telepresence System

In this contribution we present the results of a pilot study in which an Extended Range Telepresence System is used to calibrate parameters of a pedestrian model for simulation. The parameters control a model element that is intended to make simulated agents walk in the direction of the esti- mated smallest remaining travel time. We use this to, first, show that that an Extended Range Telepresence System can serve for such a task in general and second to actually find simulation parameters that yield realistic results

Evaluation of Smartphone-based interaction techniques in a CAVE in the context of immersive digital project review

Immersive digital project reviews consist in using virtual reality (VR) as a tool for discussion between various stakeholders of a project. In the automotive industry, the digital car prototype model is the common thread that binds them. It is used during immersive digital project reviews between designers, engineers, ergonomists, etc. The digital mockup is also used to assess future car architecture, habitability or perceived quality requirements with the aim to reduce using physical mockups for optimized cost, delay and quality efficiency. Among the difficulties identified by the users, handling the mockup is a major one. Inspired by current uses of nomad devices (multi-touch gestures, IPhone UI look’n’feel and AR applications), we designed a navigation technique taking advantage of these popular input devices: Space scrolling allows moving around the mockup. In this paper, we present the results of a study we conducted on the usability and acceptability of the proposed smartphone-based interaction metaphor compared to traditional technique and we provide indications of the most efficient choices for different use-cases accordingly. It was carried out in a traditional 4-sided CAVE and its purpose is to assess a chosen set of interaction techniques to be implemented in Renault’s new 5-sides 4K x 4K wall high performance CAVE. The proposed new metaphor using nomad devices is well accepted by novice VR users and future implementation should allow an efficient industrial use. Their use is an easy and user friendly alternative of the existing traditional control devices such as a joystick