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When you try a driving simulator, one of the first sensations that we tend to evaluate is the fluidity of movement.
Ma Does smoother motion necessarily mean a more realistic simulation?
Not always.
In designing a professional simulator Much more complex parameters come into play: sensitivity, response frequency, actuator precision, telemetry, configurability, and the system's ability to transform what happens in the virtual vehicle into sensations perceptible by the driver.
Most importantly, there is no single ideal configuration for every use: a simulator can and must be set up differently depending on the target, the application and the experience you want to create.
It is precisely on these aspects that the development philosophy of ESTech.
Fluidity or fidelity? Two different approaches to simulation.
A simulation system can be configured to make motion particularly smooth by filtering or smoothing out some variations coming from the software.
The result can be an immediately pleasant, linear sensation that is accessible even to those who are riding a simulator for the first time.
In other contexts, however, it may be preferable to increase sensitivity and precision, allowing the driver to perceive a greater amount of information coming from the vehicle dynamics.
It's not a question of establishing which of the two approaches is better overall, but of choosing the one that is best suited to the user and the purpose of the simulator.
in this ESTech simulators intended for pilots, advanced sim racers, training activities and professional applications, the priority can be the driving fidelity.
Our systems can be configured to achieve a high sensitivity, with the aim of accurately reproducing even very small variations coming from the vehicle dynamics.
This allows the simulator to transfer a greater amount of information to the pilot.
Acceleration, braking, load transfers, changes in trim, loss of grip and surface characteristics can thus contribute to building the driving experience.
However, greater sensitivity also means greater importance of the configuration.
At the same time, for different applications, such as events, fairs and entertainment activities, the simulator can be set to give greater priority to fluidity, immediacy and ease of use.
A professional simulator does not necessarily have to always behave the same way
A single-seater, a GT, a rally car or a prototype do not have the same dynamics.
Likewise, the simulator shouldn't have it.
But it's not just the simulated vehicle that changes: it also changes who uses the system and why they use it.
For this reason, the ability to intervene on the system parameters represents an important feature for ESTech, especially when dealing with professional applications.
Behavior can be adapted based on several elements:
- vehicle type;
- circuit;
- software used;
- pilot characteristics;
- desired sensitivity level;
- purpose of the experience;
- target users;
- simulator hardware configuration.
The goal is therefore not simply to get “more exercise”.
It's to get the correct movement for the experience you want to reproduce.
Loyalty for pilots, fluidity for events: different configurations for different objectives
Within the FGROUP ecosystem, this configuration possibility finds concrete application depending on the different targets.
In simulators ESTech and in experiences FDrive aimed at pilots, advanced sim racers and users interested in training, the main objective is to privilege the simulation fidelity.
In these contexts, the driver must be able to perceive even subtle changes in vehicle dynamics, receiving useful information from the simulator on braking, acceleration, load transfers, loss of grip and car behaviour.
This is why the system can be set to have a particularly sensitive and precise response.
For simulators Fbrand intended for events, fairs, roadshows and corporate activities, the needs are different.
The user may have no previous experience with simulation and should be able to step into the simulator and immediately experience an immersive and intuitive experience.
In these cases the system can be configured to give greater priority to fluidity, progressiveness, comfort and immediacy.
This is what already happens in practice in the various applications developed by the group.
Technology is therefore not used to impose a single behavior, but to build the most suitable experience for the audience that will use the simulator.
For a pilot, this means prioritizing fidelity and the quantity of information perceived.
For an event, this means prioritizing fluidity, accessibility, and immediate engagement.
From 2 DOF to 6 DOF: Why more axes don't automatically mean a better experience
When they compare professional dynamic simulators we often talk about the number of DOF, Degrees of Freedom, that is, the degrees of freedom through which the system can generate movement.
There are 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 DOF configurations.
Increasing the number of degrees of freedom expands the system's capabilities, but it doesn't automatically mean a better experience in every situation.
The correct question is:
What movements are actually needed for the application we want to simulate?
A simulator intended for entertainment during an event, for example, may have different needs than a system developed for training, research, motorsports, or professional applications.
For this reason ESTech is also working on the possibility of allowing customers to concretely compare different configurations, evaluating not only the technical specifications but above all the differences perceived while driving.
The next generation ESTech
ESTech research is moving towards an increasingly broader concept of simulation.
The motion system will continue to be central, but it will only be one of the elements through which information is transferred to the pilot's body.
Among the technologies we are working on are new solutions that are destined to further increase speed of response, precision and sensory involvement.
High frequency magnetic actuators
One of the main areas of development concerns the high-frequency magnetic actuators.
The goal is to increase the speed with which the system can react to information from the simulation, allowing even very rapid and detailed changes to be transferred.
In a professional simulator, in fact, it is not only how much a system can move that matters.
It also counts how quickly and accurately he can do it.
Response rate therefore becomes one of the fundamental variables in the search for loyalty.
Rotary movement up to 360°
Another direction of research concerns the 360° rotary movement.
A technology that could significantly expand the type of accelerations and movements reproducible through the simulator, opening up new scenarios for both immersive entertainment and more advanced professional applications.
The goal is to progressively overcome some of the physical limitations of traditional motion systems and further increase the correspondence between what happens virtually and what the pilot physically perceives.
Active 4-point seat belts controlled by telemetry
Not all driving sensations necessarily have to be generated by the movement of the platform.
For this reason another important field of development concerns the four-point active seat belts with tensioning managed through telemetry.
The system can use data from the virtual vehicle to dynamically adjust the tension of the seat belts.
During braking, for example, the rider may feel a change in the pressure exerted on the body.
The same principle can be used in acceleration and in different dynamic conditions of the car.
The desired result is a simulation in which multiple systems work simultaneously to communicate to the body what is happening in the virtual world.
From motion simulation to multisensory simulation
And this is probably the most important step in the future evolution of ESTech simulators.
Realism does not depend on a single component.
Motion system, steering wheel, pedals, active seat belts, vibrations, haptics, airflow, images, and telemetry can become parts of a single ecosystem.
Each one communicates different information.
Think, for example, of a virtual vehicle that increases its speed.
The pilot can:
- see it on the screen or through a viewer;
- feel its effects through the motion system;
- feel the vibrations of the vehicle;
- notice changes in belt tension;
- receive an air flow proportional to the speed.
The combination of these stimuli can create a much more complete perception than that achieved by simply increasing the excursion of a platform.
More information to the pilot, not simply more effects
This is the philosophy that guides our research.
We don't want to add effects just to make a simulator look more spectacular.
Each technology must have a specific function:
transfer information from the simulation to the pilot.
For professional applications and training, the greater the amount of coherent, precise and synchronized information that the system is able to transfer, the higher the quality and fidelity of the driving experience can become.
In entertainment applications, these same technologies can be configured and calibrated to create a more fluid, immediate and accessible experience.
The challenge of the simulation of the future will therefore be less and less that of "moving a platform" and more and more that of reconstruct the system of sensations most suited to the objective of the experience.
FDrive Garage Experience: Feel the differences, not just read them
Technical specifications, number of DOFs and actuator characteristics are important.
But a simulator remains above all a physical experience.
For this reason through the FDrive Garage Experience We also want to create a space where customers and partners can directly try out different technologies and compare different configurations.
The goal is to provide a concrete understanding of the changes made when switching between different motion systems and which technologies are best suited to a specific project.
Because the ideal setup for a corporate event could be very different from one intended for a simulation center, motorsports, training, or research.
The same technological platform can therefore be studied and calibrated by privileging different parameters: greater fidelity and sensitivity when the goal is training, greater fluidity and immediacy when the goal is engaging a wider audience.
The future of simulators will be increasingly personalized
We don't believe there is a single perfect configuration for every user.
Instead we believe in professional simulators increasingly modular, sensitive and configurable, where hardware, software and telemetry can work together to build different experiences.
ESTech's development direction is precisely towards this goal.
High-frequency magnetic actuators, rotary systems, active telemetry belts, and advanced motion configurations are some of the technologies we are exploring for the next generation of simulation.
Differentiation will therefore not only be determined by the technology used, but increasingly by the ability to configure it correctly according to the target and the application.
Because a pilot and an event participant are not necessarily looking for the same experience.
For the first, the value can be in the fidelity, precision and quantity of information received.
For the second, it could be in the fluidity, immediacy and ability to feel involved from the first seconds.
And it is precisely the ability to design and configure both of these experiences that represents one of the directions in which we want to build the ESTech simulators of the future.
Are you considering a professional simulator or want to develop a custom configuration for your project?
Contact ESTech to speak with our team and identify the solution best suited to your needs.
