• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power
autonomous cars

Ansible Motion developing defence against motion sickness for autonomous cars

September 12, 2016 by David Edwards

autonomous cars

With more people set to be reading or using screens in their autonomous cars, Ansible Motion’s simulation technology could highlight what features could prevent sickness from happening

When self-driving cars become the norm, we’re going to have much more spare time, as we’ll no longer be chained to the steering wheel with our eyes locked on the road ahead.

This is brilliant news as we’ll have more time to read, work and play driving games on our phones instead. But it could have one downside: Motion sickness.

Motion sickness is already a problem for many passengers – and when we all become passengers, it seems inevitable that it’ll get worse. In fact, experts are already predicting that between 6 per cent and 12 per cent of Americans can expect to get sick travelling in an autonomous vehicle. 

But there is some good news: Car manufacturers today are already working on designing vehicles that will mitigate motion sickness – and they are using driving simulator technology from a UK company called Ansible Motion to do it. The simulator is different to the sort that powers driving games or trains pilots.

According to Ansible Motion’s technical liaison, Phil Morse, this type of simulator, called “Driver in the Loop”, is “dynamics-class”. This means that it isn’t just for measuring human reactions, like other types of automotive driving simulators or how a flight simulator for training pilots might be – but thanks to some sophisticated engineering, it can be used to virtually prototype vehicles and different on-car components.

The value of a driving simulator in the design process then is this: Being able to switch out and test individual components in thousands of different scenarios, with real people behind the wheel, without needing to actually build a car to start with. In fact, without the simulator it may soon be impossible to design a modern car without going to utterly enormous expense.

And this is where the technology can be put to work on motion sickness. Motion sickness is caused when the images we see fall out of sync with the movement we feel.

It’s why, say, reading a book or watching a video while a passenger in a car can make us feel queasy – as there is a disconnect between what we’re looking at and the feeling of the road bumping beneath the seat and trees zipping by in our peripheral vision. It can also happen when playing with virtual reality for the same reasons.

Ansible Motion’s driving simulator enables designers to test different components and conditions entirely virtually – changing things like the shape of the windows, the vibrations from different road surfaces, sound levels and the car’s suspension.

By swapping these components around virtually, designers can see what combination gives the smoothest ride. This means that when the first physical prototypes are created they are already designed to mitigate motion sickness.

“Our own simulation methodology, by default, inserts a layer of controllable sensory content – for motion, vision, haptic feedback, and so on,” Morse says.

Normally, there are no modifications made to this “layer” of the simulation, but he indicates that one way of studying motion sickness is figuring out how to induce it deliberately, by tweaking the simulator’s settings.

“This can be a useful way to explore human sensitivities while people are engaged in different tasks inside a car. And then the understanding of these sensitivities can wrap back around and inform the real vehicle design,” he explains.

So the future could be significantly less nauseating – and it’s a good example of the power of a dynamics class simulator.

Ansible Motion is ahead of the curve in this respect, as the need for pre-testing components in simulators is going to become even more crucial as we start to transition to autonomous vehicles.

The reason for this simple: Safety. Maintaining the trust of motorists and passengers is going to be crucial if we’re to transition to autonomous vehicles successfully.

But making the switch will be difficult by the very nature of the transition. Cars will have to handle both autonomous driving, on roads such as motorways and then switch to manual controls when drivers turn off into more environmentally complex cities.

The injection of a human element adds an extra layer of complication – as unlike machines we are often unpredictable. So computer systems need to be designed to work with all of our quirks and flaws.

But given this, the introduction of driving simulators to the design process should be a good sign – as not only will they help autonomous vehicles cope with the things that make us human, but they’ll help make travelling a better experience all together.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Computing, News, Transportation Tagged With: ansible, autonomous, car, cars, components, driving, human, motion, sickness, simulator, vehicles

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower
  • Mining robotics company Nabors acquires digital twin developer MindMesh
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
  • Unlocking the Benefits of Static Residential Proxies for the AI revolution
  • 2023 Predictions & Forecasts: Five challenges for warehouse management, according to AutoStore
  • Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
  • Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
  • Berkshire Grey and Locus Robotics combine to offer ‘industry-first’ cross-platform robotic automation
  • Fox Guest Posting: The Best Service Providers for Your Blogging Needs
  • 16+ Best Business Card Templates for Google Docs (Word) & Slides

Most Read

  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
    The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
  • Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
    Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
  • How to Know if Your iPhone is Being Tracked? Check This!
    How to Know if Your iPhone is Being Tracked? Check This!
  • What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
    What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
  • 5 Top Jobs Where Robots Could Replace Humans?
    5 Top Jobs Where Robots Could Replace Humans?
  • Track your lost Android
    Track your lost Android

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business china companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower
  • Mining robotics company Nabors acquires digital twin developer MindMesh
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
  • Unlocking the Benefits of Static Residential Proxies for the AI revolution
  • 2023 Predictions & Forecasts: Five challenges for warehouse management, according to AutoStore
  • Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
  • Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
  • Berkshire Grey and Locus Robotics combine to offer ‘industry-first’ cross-platform robotic automation
  • Fox Guest Posting: The Best Service Providers for Your Blogging Needs
  • 16+ Best Business Card Templates for Google Docs (Word) & Slides

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

September 2016
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug   Oct »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT