Advanced driving simulators aim at rendering the motion of a vehicle with maximum fidelity, which requires increased mechanical travel, size, and cost of the system. Motion cueing algorithms reduce the motion envelope by taking advantage of limitations in human motion perception, and the most commonly employed method is just to scale down the physical motion. However, little is known on the effects of motion scaling on motion perception and on actual driving performance. This paper presents the results of a European collaborative project, which explored different motion scale factors in a slalom driving task. Three state-of-the-art simulator systems were used, which were capable of generating displacements of several meters. The results of four comparable driving experiments, which were obtained with a total of 65 participants, indicate a preference for motion scale factors below 1, within a wide range of acceptable values (0.4-0.75). Very reduced or absent motion cues significantly degrade driving performance. Applications of this research are discussed for the design of motion systems and cueing algorithms for driving simulation.

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This paper discusses the technical issues that were required to adapt a KUKA Robocoaster for use as a real-time motion simulator. Within this context, the paper addresses the physical modifications and the software control structure that were needed to have a flexible and safe experimental setup. It also addresses the delays and transfer function of the system. The paper is divided into two sections.The

Our society relies more and more on flight simulation for pilot training to enhance safety and reduce costs. But to meet the highest level of general technical requirements for simulators set forth by the FAA and EASA requires high-cost equipment. To make simulator use more accessible, reduced costs might be achieved with novel simulator designs and/or through research to improve the performance of existing designs. This report explores the use of such a novel design, based on an anthropomorphic robot arm to reproduce an experiment designed to evaluate flight simulator motion requirement for helicopter pilot training. Results compare promisingly well to those from a large, highperformance facility where the original work was performed.