Small Grants for Exploratory Research: Virtual Design Laboratory

本研究是在虚拟开发并行 设计实验室（VDL）：一个使用虚拟现实的系统 机电一体化样机设计与装配技术 系统快速和自然。 在这项研究中，虚拟现实 可以被认为是计算机生成的模拟真实的 体验，使计算机用户沉浸在任何系统中， 计算机可以模拟的位置。研究VDL 系统提供了三个优于当前设计方法的优点： (1)VDL为设计者节省了大量的设计时间 （2）VDL允许设计人员在更大的范围内进行设计 自然的，不那么数学的方法， 数学的重要性，良好的设计工作;和（3）VDL让 设计师用各种各样的部件进行试验， 事实上，潜在地对每一个可能部分进行试验 选项. 为了开发使用VDL系统的新机床， 设计师戴着头盔和两个动力主手套。 头盔 有一个计算机生成的虚拟现实显示器， 来产生虚拟现实环境 设计师的眼睛。 手套里有传感器， 设计师在虚拟环境中“感受”和操作各种机器部件 现实环境。 设计者在VDL中安装虚拟 reality软件开发为零件目录的一部分， 厂商 在所得到的虚拟现实显示中， 设计师可以看到各种计算机生成的货架，每个货架 只包含一种类型的机器部件。 设计师 操纵主手套让电脑生成的从手套 VDL内的手套从货架上选择几个部分来尝试 在特定的机器设计中以及为了制造机器， 在VDL中。 这些部分实际上并不存在。 他们 存在于VDL中，其所有工程特性具有 在虚拟现实环境中进行数学建模， 复制实际零件的行为。 本研究项目的目的是确定 VDL在整个设计过程中的基本操作规则， 构建和控制一个简单的实验设计 工作站 从这项初步研究中获得的知识 将作为下一个设计和建造的基础- 代设计工作站。

This research is concurrent in the development of a Virtual Design Laboratory (VDL): a system which uses virtual reality technology to design and assemble prototypes of mechatronic systems rapidly and naturally. For this research, virtual reality can be thought of as the computer-generated simulation of real experience which immerses the computer user in any system of location which the computer can model. The research VDL system offers three advantages over current approaches to design: (1) the VDL saves the designer a great deal of time in the design process; (2) the VDL allows the designer to design in a more natural and less mathematical way without discounting the importance of mathematics to good design work; and (3) the VDL lets the designer experiment with a very wide variety of parts, and, in fact, potentially experiment with every possible part option. To develop a new machine using the VDL system, the designer wears a helmet and two powered master gloves. The helmet has a computer-generated virtual reality display mounted in a type of faceshield to produce the virtual reality environment in front of the designer's eyes. The gloves have sensors in them to let the designer "feel" and manipulate various machine parts in the virtual reality environment. The designer installs in the VDL the virtual reality software developed as a catalog of parts by parts manufacturers. In the resulting virtual reality display, the designer can see various computer-generated shelves, each shelf containing only one type of machine parts. The designer manipulates the master gloves to have the computer-generated slave gloves within the VDL choose from the shelves several parts to try in the particular machine design and also to build the machine, both within the VDL. These parts are not physically present. They exist in the VDL with all of their engineering properties having been modeled mathematically in the virtual reality environment to replicate the behavior of the actual part. The objective of this research project is to determine the ground rules for the operations of the VDL through the design, construction, and control of a simple experimental design workstation. The knowledge obtained from this preliminary research will serve as a basis for the design and construction of the next- generation design workstations.