Vibrations in dynamic driving simulator: Study and implementation

This paper shows the effect of adding vibrations in a car cabin during driving simulation on driver perception. Actually, current dynamic driving simulators induce the simulator sickness and it still difficult for the driver to project himself in the virtual reality due to a lack of perception. To know the effect of vibrations on a subject, the effect of the whole body vibration must be defined, as the sources of vibration in a car cabin. After determining all the parameters we propose to determine a formula to produce the vibrations in function of the car state, the road and the boundary conditions. Then experimentation with nine subjects is done to define the exact effect of the vibrations and the new perception of the road in the simulation. In order to do these experimentations, three actuators were installed inside the cabin of the car driving simulator from Institut Image – Arts et Metiers ParisTech

The contribution of closed loop tracking control of motion platform on laterally induced postural instability of the drivers at SAAM dynamic simulator

This paper explains the effect of a motion platform closed loop control comparing to the static condition for driving simulators on postural instability. The postural instabilities of the participants (N=18, 15 male and 3 female subjects) were measured as lateral displacements of subject body centre of pressure (YCP ) just before and after each driving session via a balance platform. After having completed the experiments, the two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test was applied to analyze the objective data for merely the post-exposure cases. The objective data analysis revealed that the YCP for the dynamic case indicated a significant lower value than the static situation (U(18), p < 0,0001). It can be concluded that the closed loop tracking control of the hexapod platform of the driving simulator (dynamic platform condition) decreased significantly the lateral postural stability compared to the static operation condition. However the two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test showed that no significant difference was obtained between the two conditions in terms of psychophysical perception

Motion sickness evaluation and comparison for a static driving simulator and a dynamic driving simulator

This paper deals with driving simulation and in particular with the important issue of motion sickness. The paper proposes a methodology to evaluate the objective illness rating metrics deduced from the motion sickness dose value and questionnaires for both a static simulator and a dynamic simulator. Accelerations of the vestibular cues (head movements) of the subjects were recorded with and without motion platform activation. In order to compare user experiences in both cases, the head-dynamics-related illness ratings were computed from the obtained accelerations and the motion sickness dose values. For the subjective analysis, the principal component analysis method was used to determine the conflict between the subjective assessment in the static condition and that in the dynamic condition. The principal component analysis method used for the subjective evaluation showed a consistent difference between the answers given in the sickness questionnaire for the static platform case from those for the dynamic platform case. The two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test shows the significance in the differences between the self-reports to the individual questions. According to the two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test, experiencing nausea (p = 0.019 < 0.05) and dizziness (p = 0.018 < 0.05) decreased significantly from the static case to the dynamic case. Also, eye strain (p = 0.047 < 0.05) and tiredness (p = 0.047 < 0.05) were reduced significantly from the static case to the dynamic case. For the perception fidelity analysis, the Pearson correlation with a confidence interval of 95% was used to study the correlations of each question with the x illness rating component IRx, the y illness rating component IRy, the z illness rating component IRz and the compound illness rating IRtot. The results showed that the longitudinal head dynamics were the main element that induced discomfort for the static platform, whereas vertical head movements were the main factor to provoke discomfort for the dynamic platform case. Also, for the dynamic platform, lateral vestibular-level dynamics were the major element which caused a feeling of fear

Minimum Phase noise of an LC oscillator: Determination of the optimal operating point of the active part

International audienceIn this paper, we describe an original method for determining the optimal operating point of the active part (transistor) of an LC oscillator leading to the minimum phase noise for given specifications in terms of power consumption, oscillation frequency and forgiven devices (i.e.,transistor and resonator). The key point of the proposed method is based on the use of a proper LC oscillator architecture providing a fixed loaded quality factor for different operating points of the active part within the oscillator. The feedback network of this architecture is made of an LC resonator with coupling transformers. In these conditions, we show that it is possible to easily change the operating point of the amplifier, through the determination of the turns ratio of those transformers, and observe its effect on phase noise without modifying the loaded quality factor of the resonator. The optimal operating point for minimum phase noise is then extracted from nonlinear simulations. Once this optimal behavior of the active part is known and by associating the previous LC resonator, a design of an LC oscillator or VCO with an optimal phase noise becomes possible. The conclusions of the presented simulation results have been widely used to design and implement a fully integrated LC differential VCO on a 0.35µm BiCMOS SiGe process

Impact of geometric field of view on speed perception

This paper deals with changes of the geometric field of view on speed perception. This study has been carried out using the SAAM dynamic driving simulator (Arts et Métiers ParisTech). SAAM provides motion cues thanks to a 6 DOF electromechanical platform and is equipped with a cylindrical screen of 150°. 20 subjects have reproduced 2 speeds (50 km/h and 90 km/h) without knowing the numerical values of these consigns, and with 5 different visual scale factors: 0.70, 0.85, 1.00, 1.15 and 1.30. This visual scale factor correspond to the ratio between the driver’s field of view covered by the screen (constant) and the geometric field of view. This study shows that this visual scale factor has a significant impact on the speed reached by the subjects and thus shows that perceived speed increases with this visual scale factor. A 0.15 modification of this factor is enough to obtain a significant effect. The modification of the geometric field of view remained unnoticed by all the subjects, which implies that this technique can be easily used to make drivers reduce their speed in driving simulation conditions. However, this technique may also modify perception of distances.Cet article présente l’effet du changement du champ de vision géométrique sur la perception de la vitesse. Cette étude a été réalisée sur le simulateur de conduite dynamique SAAM (Arts et Métiers ParisTech). SAAM utilise une plate-forme électromécanique à 6 DDL et est équipé d’un écran cylindrique de 150° pour restituer la sensation de mouvement. 20 sujets ont reproduit 2 vitesses (50 km/h et 90 km/h), sans connaître les valeurs de ces vitesses, et avec 5 facteurs d’échelle visuelle différents : 0.70, 0.85, 1.00, 1.15 et 1.30. Ces facteurs d’échelle correspondent aux rapports entre le champ de vision du conducteur couvert par l’image (constant) et le champ de vision géométrique. Cette étude montre que ce changement visuel a un impact significatif sur la vitesse qu’atteignent les sujets et montre donc que la vitesse perçue augmente avec ce facteur d’échelle visuelle. Un changement de 0.15 de ce facteur suffit pour obtenir un effet significatif. Les changements de champ de vision géométrique n’ont été détectés par aucun des sujets, ce qui implique que cette technique peut facilement être utilisée pour amener les conducteurs à réduire leur vitesse en conditions de simulation de conduite. Cependant, cette technique pourrait aussi modifier la perception des distances.Le Grand Chalo

A 2.4 GHz active phase shifter architecture for smart antennas control

International audienceThis paper aims at developing the bases of a smart radio-communication prototype, able to modify the radiation patterns, both on emission and reception, according to the needs of the communication. Smart antenna is a well-known concept, allowing to increase the quality of the transmission and spectral efficiency. To control the radiation patterns, algorithms used in smart antenna techniques require precise amplitudes and phases generation. In this paper, vector modulators working as active phase shifters will be used in order to synthesize such amplitudes and phases. A theoretical analysis will be performed in order to quantify the impact of vector modulators mismatches on the synthesized amplitudes and phases. Furthermore, measurements of radiation patterns generated by a prototype at 2.4 GHz will be presented

2.4 GHz antenna array using vector modulator based active phase shifters for beamforming

International audienceThis study presents the analysis and the experimental results of a 2.4 GHz antenna array using vector modulators working as active phase shifters for beamforming. With the use of such an active phase shifter, a continuously controlled 360° phase shifting range can be achieved leading to an efficient beamforming architecture. To show the robustness of this system, a theoretical analysis is first performed in order to quantify the impact of vector modulators I/Q mismatch on the obtained gains and phase shifts. In the same way, the impact of the vector modulators noisy command voltages is also quantified by system simulations. The experimental results of the 2.4 GHz vector modulators show a maximum relative gain error close to 2.5% and an absolute phase error less than 3°. The measured 1 dB output compression point is -6 dBm. Measurements of the prototype including an array of four 'patch' antennas controlled by the vector modulators were also performed in an anechoic chamber. The results show good agreement between measured and theoretical radiation patterns

Analysis of the Frequency Locking Region of Coupled Oscillators Applied to 1-D Antenna Arrays

International audienceDuring the past decade, coupled oscillators have shown their efficiency as simple methods for phase control in microwave antenna arrays, and hence as alternatives to conventional electronic beam steering methods. In this paper, a new writing of the nonlinear equations proposed by R. York to describe the oscillators' locked states is presented. This has allowed the elaboration of a CAD tool which provides, in a considerably short simulation time, the frequency locking region of the coupled oscillators. This region is plotted versus the oscillators' tunings referred to the resonant frequency of the coupling circuit. A prototype circuit consisting of a five oscillators array is currently under test to validate the theory

Analysis and Design of an Array of Two Differential Oscillators Coupled Through a Resistive Network

International audienceThis paper considers the analysis and the design of an array of two NMOS differential oscillators coupled through a resistor. A new writing of the nonlinear equations proposed by R. York to describe the oscillators' locked states but limited for the specific case of a resistive coupling is presented. The new system permits the calculation of the free-running frequencies of the oscillators when a specific phase shift is desired. This has led to the modeling of the two coupled NMOS differential oscillators as two coupled differential Van der Pol oscillators, with a resistive coupling network. A good agreement between the circuit, the model and the theory was found, giving some design considerations for a network of two differential oscillators coupled through one resistor