ITR: (ASE+NHS+ECS)-(int+dmc+sim): Generation of Complex Environmental Flow Patterns for Virtual Environments

ITR：（ASE NHS ECS）-（int dmc sim）：为虚拟环境生成复杂的环境流模式

• 批准号: 0428856
• 负责人: John Hollerbach
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Utah
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-10-01 至 2010-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0428856&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: ITR; ASE+NHS+ECS; int+dmc+sim; Generation; Complex

A goal of virtual reality is the simulation of the physical world and convincing displays of the simulation. Although progress has been made in developing visual, auditory, and haptic displays, virtual environments are still generally unconvincing. One hypothesis is that a totality of sensory effects is necessary to create a realistic sense of immersion, including atmospheric effects such as wind, smell, and radiance, yet there has been little systematic research on incorporating such effects. In this project, the PI and his team will create the Treadport Active Wind Tunnel (TPAWT), a 3D wind display enhancement for the Treadport locomotion interface, which comprises a large tilting treadmill, a CAVE-like visual display, and an active mechanical tether attached to the torso. Taking into account geometrical constraints such as the presence of frontal screens, a system of controlled directional vents will be placed around a user. Air will be discharged from the vents using a dedicated programmable air-handling unit. Flows will be precisely mixed, based on model reduction techniques, and controlled to produce a sensation of wind from any direction and up to speeds of 20 mph. Nonlinear feedback controllers will be devised to sense and regulate airflow near a user. Odors and chemicals will be displayed to users by injection into the airflow system, while infrared lamps arrayed in the ceiling will generate radiant heat. The PI expects the integration of 3D wind and olfactory capabilities into the existing Treadport system to reinforce the graphical, auditory and locomotion effects will result in a new degree of realism in the immersive virtual reality interface. To test out and fine-tune the system, wind generation will be incorporated into an urban virtual environment, which includes pedestrians and cars generating noises and smells. The simulation of the magnitude and direction of the wind, as well as the dispersion of odors or air-borne chemicals, will be based on the QUIC (Quick Urban & Industrial Complex) dispersion modeling system, which provides fast simulation of the flow field around buildings and the concentration fields of chemical plumes. One experimental application will relate to developing methods for tracing the source of noxious chemicals released into the environment. With a real-time wind and plume dispersion simulation, response and training scenarios can be developed. Small mobile robots with chemical sensors can be placed on the treadmill to track plumes using algorithms that take into account wind direction, wind speed and local concentrations.Broader Impacts. The generation of 3D airflow is a new research topic, which will allow realistic wind and olfactory displays for virtual environments, and offer an alternative to traditional wind tunnels by placing airflow at a local region of interest without immersing a whole structure, and by simulating meandering wind. By simulating plume dispersion of chemicals around city structures, training and emergency response scenarios can be developed for the release of chemical agents into the atmosphere. The research adds fluid mechanics and control to the already highly interdisciplinary Treadport project that also includes psychology, biomechanics, robotics, and computer graphics, and will result in the training of a sizable number of graduate students competent to conduct interdisciplinary research.

虚拟现实的目标是模拟物理世界并令人信服地显示模拟。尽管在开发视觉、听觉和触觉显示方面取得了进展，但虚拟环境总体上仍然不令人信服。一种假设是，要创造一种真实的沉浸感，需要整体的感官效果，包括风、气味和辐射等大气效果，但很少有关于整合这些效果的系统研究。 在这个项目中，PI 和他的团队将创建 Treadport 主动风洞 (TPAWT)，这是 Treadport 运动界面的 3D 风显示增强功能，其中包括大型倾斜跑步机、类似 CAVE 的视觉显示器以及连接到躯干的主动机械系绳。 考虑到几何限制，例如正面屏幕的存在，受控定向通风口系统将放置在用户周围。 空气将使用专用的可编程空气处理装置从通风口排出。 气流将根据模型简化技术进行精确混合，并进行控制，以产生来自任何方向的风感，速度最高可达 20 英里/小时。 将设计非线性反馈控制器来感测和调节用户附近的气流。 气味和化学物质将通过注入气流系统向用户展示，而排列在天花板上的红外灯将产生辐射热。 PI 预计将 3D 风和嗅觉功能集成到现有的 Treadport 系统中以增强图形、听觉和运动效果，从而使沉浸式虚拟现实界面的真实感达到新的水平。 为了测试和微调该系统，风力发电将被纳入城市虚拟环境中，其中包括产生噪音和气味的行人和汽车。 风的大小和方向的模拟，以及气味或空气中化学物质的扩散，将基于QUIC（Quick Urban & Industrial Complex）扩散建模系统，该系统可以快速模拟建筑物周围的流场和化学羽流的浓度场。 一项实验应用涉及开发追踪释放到环境中的有毒化学品来源的方法。 通过实时风和羽流扩散模拟，可以开发响应和训练场景。 带有化学传感器的小型移动机器人可以放置在跑步机上，使用考虑到风向、风速和局部浓度的算法来跟踪羽流。更广泛的影响。 3D气流的生成是一个新的研究课题，它将允许在虚拟环境中显示真实的风和嗅觉，并通过将气流放置在局部感兴趣区域而不浸没整个结构以及模拟蜿蜒的风来提供传统风洞的替代方案。 通过模拟城市结构周围化学品的羽流扩散，可以开发将化学制剂释放到大气中的培训和应急响应场景。 该研究为已经高度跨学科的 Treadport 项目增加了流体力学和控制，该项目还包括心理学、生物力学、机器人学和计算机图形学，并将培训大量有能力进行跨学科研究的研究生。