Decentralized real-time simulation of forest machines

Eckhard Freund; Frank Adam; Katharina Hoffmann; Juergen Rossmann; Michael Kraemer; Michael Schluse

doi:10.1117/12.403724

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16 October 2000 Decentralized real-time simulation of forest machines

Eckhard Freund, Frank Adam, Katharina Hoffmann, Juergen Rossmann, Michael Kraemer, Michael Schluse

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Proceedings Volume 4196, Sensor Fusion and Decentralized Control in Robotic Systems III; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.403724
Event: Intelligent Systems and Smart Manufacturing, 2000, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

To develop realistic forest machine simulators is a demanding task. A useful simulator has to provide a close- to-reality simulation of the forest environment as well as the simulation of the physics of the vehicle. Customers demand a highly realistic three dimensional forestry landscape and the realistic simulation of the complex motion of the vehicle even in rough terrain in order to be able to use the simulator for operator training under close-to- reality conditions. The realistic simulation of the vehicle, especially with the driver's seat mounted on a motion platform, greatly improves the effect of immersion into the virtual reality of a simulated forest and the achievable level of education of the driver. Thus, the connection of the real control devices of forest machines to the simulation system has to be supported, i.e. the real control devices like the joysticks or the board computer system to control the crane, the aggregate etc. Beyond, the fusion of the board computer system and the simulation system is realized by means of sensors, i.e. digital and analog signals. The decentralized system structure allows several virtual reality systems to evaluate and visualize the information of the control devices and the sensors. So, while the driver is practicing, the instructor can immerse into the same virtual forest to monitor the session from his own viewpoint. In this paper, we are describing the realized structure as well as the necessary software and hardware components and application experiences.

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Eckhard Freund, Frank Adam, Katharina Hoffmann, Juergen Rossmann, Michael Kraemer, and Michael Schluse "Decentralized real-time simulation of forest machines", Proc. SPIE 4196, Sensor Fusion and Decentralized Control in Robotic Systems III, (16 October 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.403724

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