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

虚拟现实的一个目标是对物理世界的模拟和令人信服的模拟显示。尽管在开发视觉、听觉和触觉显示方面取得了进展，但虚拟环境仍然普遍不令人信服。一种假设是，为了创造一种真实的沉浸感，需要一系列的感官效果，包括风、气味和光线等大气效果，但很少有系统的研究将这些效果结合起来。在这个项目中，PI和他的团队将创建Treadport主动风洞（TPAWT），这是对Treadport运动界面的3D风力显示增强，它包括一个大型倾斜跑步机，一个类似cave的视觉显示，以及一个连接在躯干上的主动机械系绳。考虑到几何限制，如前部屏幕的存在，一个受控的定向通风口系统将被放置在用户周围。空气将通过专用的可编程空气处理装置从通风口排出。基于模型还原技术，气流将精确混合，并控制产生来自任何方向的风的感觉，最高风速为20英里/小时。非线性反馈控制器将被设计用来感知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显示给用户，而排列在天花板上的红外灯将产生辐射热。PI希望将3D风和嗅觉功能集成到现有的Treadport系统中，以加强图形、听觉和运动效果，从而在沉浸式虚拟现实界面中实现新的逼真程度。为了测试和调整该系统，风力发电将被纳入城市虚拟环境，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（快速城市工业综合体）扩散建模系统，该系统提供建筑物周围流场和化学羽流浓度场的快速模拟。一项实验应用将涉及开发追踪释放到环境中的有毒化学物质来源的方法。通过实时的风和羽散模拟，可以制定响应和训练方案。装有化学传感器的小型移动机器人可以放置在跑步机上，利用考虑风向、风速和当地浓度的算法来追踪烟雾。更广泛的影响。3D气流的产生是一个新的研究课题，它将为虚拟环境提供真实的风和嗅觉显示，并通过在不浸入整个结构的情况下将气流放置在感兴趣的局部区域，并通过模拟蜿蜒的风，为传统风洞提供替代方案。通过模拟城市建筑物周围化学物质的羽状扩散，可以为化学物质释放到大气中制定培训和应急反应方案。这项研究将流体力学和控制添加到已经高度跨学科的“Treadport”项目中，该项目还包括心理学、生物力学、机器人和计算机图形学，并将培养相当数量有能力进行跨学科研究的研究生。

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.