Multi-Modal Distributed Simulation Combining Cars, Bicyclists, and Pedestrians

A collaborative project between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa was conducted to understand the feasibility of conducting driving and pedestrian simulator experiments that involve multiple agents (humans) in the simulation. As part of the collaborative project, a distributed driving simulation environment was created that can be used to conduct driving simulation experiments with multiple human agents participating in the simulation as a pedestrian or as a driver. The distributed simulation environment was created using the Unity game engine. A pedestrian can participate in the experiment using a virtual reality headset, while the driver can participate using a regular computer connected to a screen and a steering wheel control system. The distributed nature of the environment, i.e., the ability to have subjects be part of the same experiment from geographically distant locations, is achieved by relying on the built-in networking functionality provided by the Unity game engine. As will be described in the report, the simulation environment was created by relying on the tools provided by the integrated development environment used by the Unity game engine and by creating supplemental modules created to support common tasks in driving simulation experiments.

• Record URL:
  http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/C2%20Y1%20UI%20report.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Iowa, Iowa City

  Department of Computer Science
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  1415 Engineering Drive
  Madison, WI  United States  53706

  Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim)

  University of Iowa
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Kearney, Joseph K
  • 0000-0002-0443-8152
  • Noyce, David A
  • 0000-0001-5887-8391
  • Chakraborty, Soumyajit
  • 0000-0003-4318-0681
  • Jiang, Yuanyuan
  • 0000-0002-3070-811X
  • Santiago-Chaparro, Kelvin R
  • 0000-0001-6897-0351
• Publication Date: 2018-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Research Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 31p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cyclists; Drivers; Driving simulators; Pedestrians
• Uncontrolled Terms: Distributed simulation; Gaming engines
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01691619
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: Grant No. 69A3551747131
• Files: UTC, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 28 2019 11:34AM