Design and Comfort Evaluation of a Novel Locomotion Device for Training Overhead Traveling Crane Operators in a Virtual Environment

固定式起重機虛擬實境訓練系統之漫步平臺研發與評估

10.29977/JCIIE.200301.0009

徐業良(Yeh-Liang Hsu)；王崇飛(Chong-Fai Wang)；連俊名(Chun-Ming Lien)；高崇洋(Chung-Yang Kao)

虛擬實境 ； 操作訓練系統 ； 漫步平臺 ； virtual reality ； operator training system ； locomotion

工業工程學刊

20卷1期（2003 / 01 / 01）

62 - 70

英文

現今虛擬實境研究中，能夠讓使用者做出步行的動作，但實際位置仍然維持原地之漫步平臺的研發，仍是重要問題。本文描述一個用作固定式起重機訓練之漫步平臺之設計與評估，此漫步平臺主體爲一佈滿滾珠之平板，使用者可於平板上作「踏步－滑步」動作，由滾珠下方之感測開關可感測出其步行訊號，傳送至虛擬實境軟體。使用者腰部被一氣囊環繞限制其位置，除此之外不須配戴任何感測裝置。本機台幷作初步測試，比較使用者於其上步行之感受及舒適度。

The development of locomotion devices that provide users a sense of walking while their positions remain localized in the physical world is still one of the major problems in current virtual reality research. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a novel locomotion device for training the overhead traveling crane operators in a virtual environment. The locomotion device employs a circular platform with hundreds of spherical rollers on it. A hoop combined with an airbag is used to constrain the position of the user, so that the user can walk on the rollers in a ”step-and-slide” pattern. The user can also walk and change directions freely without holding on the hoop. When the user steps on the rollers, the switches underneath the rollers sense the motion of the feet. Two-dimensional walking data can be acquired successfully, and the user does not have to wear any special shoes or obstructive sensors other than the head-mounted display. A comfort evaluation is also performed to compare the sense of walking on the locomotion device and that of natural walking.

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