“Woodlands” - a Virtual Reality Serious Game Supporting Learning of Practical Road Safety Skills.

In developed societies road safety skills are taught early and often practiced under the supervision of a parent, providing children with a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge. At some point children will attempt to cross a road unsupervised, at that point in time their safety depends on the effectiveness of their road safety education. To date, various attempts to supplement road safety education with technology were made. Most common approach focus on addressing declarative knowledge, by delivering road safety theory in an engaging fashion. Apart from expanding on text based resources to include instructional videos and animations, some stakeholders (e.g.: Irish Road Safety Authority) attempt to take advantage of game-based learning [1]. However, despite the high capacity for interaction being common in Virtual Environments, available game-based solutions to road safety education are currently limited to delivering and assessing declarative knowledge

Emulating Perceptual Experience of Color Vision Deficiency with Virtual Reality

Abstract. One of the major goals of Universal Design is to create experiences that are inclusive to all users, including those affected by Color Vision Deficiency. Color Vision Deficiency might have a significant impact on a users’ perception of the content or the environment. There is a range of tools already available, that can be used to either aid or automate the process of readability testing for digital interfaces and content in respect to Color Vision Deficiency. Two different approaches to addressing this issue can be found. A brief review of such methodologies is provided in this paper. The first approach (user-end) attempts to solve the problem by altering mediation between the user and the content. The second (design-end) allows the designer to view an image, or color scheme altered to recreate the perceptual experience of a user affected by Color Vision Deficiency and asses the design from the perspective of a color-blind user. With an implemented proof-of-concept we investigate the potential use of Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays to employ similar methodology, to allow designers or interior decorators to experience physical environments (i.e.: classroom, library or a cafeteria) from the perspective of a color-blind person. Such tools might increase the designers’ empathy towards color-blind users but also allow them to identify visual components, such as infographics or advertisement, in a physical environment that are poorly visible to color-blind users. Such tools could be developed by taking advantage of a modern Head-Mounted Displays six degrees of freedom tracking, a 360 camera and color processing filters applied during post-processing at run-time, allowing a designer to easily switch between different types of colorblindness emulation

Measuring presence: Hypothetical quantitative framework

Virtual Reality Head - Mounted Display (HMD) manufacturers claim that consumer electronics can finally deliver a high degree of presence in virtual and remote environments. Certainly, current consumer-grade HMD systems offer rich and coherent mediated experiences of such environments. However, the very concept of presence is still a subject of debate, and researchers\u27 investigation of the phenomenon of `presence\u27 is based primarily on qualitative (i.e. questionnaire-based) assessments. Some researchers attempted to develop real-time, quantitative methods to facilitate more objective investigation of presence in mediated environments. Most such methodologies are derived from attempts to correlate presence with cardiovascular and electrodermal activity in response to stressful stimuli [1]. Such methodologies often don\u27t comply with the underlying logic, fundamental to this approach: a high degree of presence manifests itself through similar responses to the stimulus observed in a physical and Virtual Environment (VE). Therefore, the lack of deviation from baseline measurement observed in a physical environment should be a manifestation of a high level of presence. We have argued theoretical grounds for the development of quantitative methodologies for measuring presence in VE. However, our hypothesis can be applicable to other contexts, such as presence in physical but remote location, augmented reality, and even a physical environment. We argue that the concept of presence requires further research and development and that the definition of presence should be addressed first. Presence is discussed in the context of brain function theory [2]. Three hypothetical experiments are proposed and described. The first experiment is designed to evaluate capacity of the medium for inducing presence. The second experiment evaluates factors loading on presence, through physiological deviations from baseline observed during controlled regression in quality of the VE properties. The third experiment is designed to evaluate brain function theory hypothesis in relation to Virtual Environments. Possible experiment results and their interpretation is discussed along benefits of adopting Open Science methodology in our research community

Vibroactivity analysis of a dual fuel diesel engine based on the knock sensor signal and measuring pressure in the combustion chamber

A study conducted by a team of authors attempts to identify the occurrence of knocking based on the vibro-acoustic signal from the knock sensor and the signal from the pressure sensor glow plug (PSG). The reason the authors decided to discuss the issue is increasing interest in the use of information contained in the generated vibration and acoustic emissions as well as reducing acoustic emissions as one of the environmental threats. The adopted form of experiment and analysis enables determining the validity of testing of NVH multifuel engines. Information based on the vibro-acoustic signal allows to determine the qualitative and quantitative occurrence of the phenomenon of knocking in case of proper analysis. Both the energy spectrum of the vibration and the summation value of the successive bands of the spectrum confirm the occurrence of knock resulting from the analysis of the pressure in the combustion chamber and allow to relate to its intensity

Analysis of Ignition Capability of Flammable Gases from Small Arms Propellant Gases

The article presents the results of tests on the temperature of propellant gases shortly after the bullet leaves the barrel. The temperature and movement of these gases were recorded with thermal cameras and a high-speed camera. Weapons with and without muzzle devices (flash suppressor, silencer) were used. The aim of the research was to check the capability to ignite flammable gases located in the vicinity of the propellant gases produced during firing. Comparison of the maximum temperature of the propellant gases and the ignition temperature of the flammable gases makes it possible to determine the probability of fire. The lowest temperature of propellant gases was in the case of shooting with 9 19 mm bullets with the lowest kinetic energy (518 J), and the highest temperature of these gases was during shooting with 5.56 45 mm HC (SS109) bullets with the highest kinetic energy (1,785 J)

Data processing and analysis scripts (python)

Jupyter notebook python scripts used for data processing (ExperimentDataProcessor.ipynb) and analysis (VR_ExperimentAnalyser.ipynb) and auxilary scripts (ExperimentsAuxilary.py

Przebieg prądowy jako źródło informacji o parametrach sterowania wtryskiwaczem paliwowym wtrysku pośredniego

The article discusses results of the laboratory experiments in which fuel injectors used in indirect injection internal combustion engines were tested. During the experiments, numerous dosing cycles of the injectors were performed while changing the control parameters, due to which, the dosing characteristics were developed and influence of applied parameters on the resultant fuel flow determined. Simultaneously, the voltage and electric current waveforms in the injector coil were recorded, due to which finding links between the electric current characteristics and the determinants of the injector work was possible. The investigation has shown that parameters of electric current constitute a precise criterion for assessing the operation of the solenoid valve, because fuel flow is created due to the work ofelectric current. Thus, by observing the changes in the current flowing through the valve coil,it is possible to monitor precisely the correctness of the process of opening the flow and the electric current intensity, at which the flow began and to determine the mechanical quantities such as fuel dose and pressure. As a result, a characteristic is developed, that provides the links between the fuel pressure and the electric current at the point of lifting the needle, which is quite a novel approach. Such a characteristic can be used in diagnostics and control of fuel injectors as well as all kinds of electromagnetic valves.Artykuł przedstawia wyniki eksperymentów laboratoryjnych polegających na testowaniu wtryskiwaczy paliwowych stosowanych w silnikach spalinowych z wtryskiem pośrednim. Podczas eksperymentów wykonano wiele cykli dawkowania wtryskiwaczy zmieniając parametry sterowania, dzięki czemu opracowano charakterystyki dawkowania i określono wpływ stosowanych parametrów sterowania na wynikowy przepływ paliwa. Jednocześnie rejestrowano przebiegi napięcia i natężenia prądu elektrycznego w cewce wtryskiwacza, dzięki czemu możliwe było powiązanie charakterystyk prądowych z determinantami pracy wtryskiwacza. Wykazano, iż parametry prądowe są precyzyjnym kryterium oceny pracy zaworu elektromagnetycznego, ponieważ dzięki wykonanej przez prąd pracy powstaje przepływ paliwa. Zatem poprzez obserwację zmian prądu płynącego przez cewkę zaworu, można precyzyjnie monitorować prawidłowość procesu otwierania przepływu oraz natężenie prądu, przy którym przepływ się rozpoczął oraz określać wielkości mechaniczne jak dawka i ciśnienie paliwa. Wynikiem badań jest opracowanie charakterystyki wiążącej ciśnienie paliwa z natężeniem prądu w punkcie podnoszenia iglicy, co jest podejściem nowatorskim. Taka charakterystyka może być wykorzystana w diagnostyce i sterowaniu wtryskiwaczy paliwowych oraz wszelkiego rodzaju zaworów elektromagnetycznych

Electric Current Waveform of the Injector as a Source of Diagnostic Information

The article discusses the method of evaluation of the fuel injector operation based on the observation of the electric current parameters, which were measured with a current transducer using the Hall effect, during the dosing process. This method relies on comparison of the electric current-related values of the examined injector with the model characteristics, which are representing the properly functioning injector. A model of the fuel injector in the form of the electric current waveform that describes the changes in the electric current and voltage during its work is presented in this article. Complex equations describing the fuel injector model under discussion account for the characteristics of the current variations, with no damage-induced modifications. Due to these, the modeled electric current/voltage waveform mirrors the real conditions. The use of a mathematical model describing the voltage–current phenomena occurring during the injector operation allows determining the actual beginning and duration of the injection. The model can also be used to develop new injector diagnostic methods that can be implemented in the engine controller (ECU)

New approach of model based detection of early stages of fuel injector failures

The aim of the work was to develop a method of real time diagnosing electromagnetic fuel injectors using the observation of electric current parameters available in the engine control unit. Performing this task required finding a precise criterion for assessing the correct operation of an electromagnetic injector. For this purpose, a mathematical model describing the individual phases of the injector's operation was used, allowing the simulation of the occurrence of typical failures. On its basis, symptoms of particular failures were determined based on the observation of electric current parameters in the control circuit. Observation of voltage and current waveforms allows to locate both electrical and mechanical damages to the injectors and to assess the correctness of the power system components. The presented diagnostic method allows the detection of the described damages in the early stages of their development, which prevents damage to the catalytic converter and other engine systems (valves, piston rings or cylinder surfaces), i.e. damages resulting from an incorrect fuel mixture

Quantitative metrics for presence in Virtual Environments

Biofeedback based method for measuring presence in mediated environment