Scientist may have created the ultimate F1 simulator!

Who says science isn’t fun. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Germany are studying how humans experience the sensation of motion. Using a giant robot arm hooked up to a racing game they did just that.

Robuffo Giordano and his team chose a Formula 1 simulator game where players will sit in a cabin which is 2 metres off the ground and drive a virtual Ferrari F2007 car around a track with force-feedback steering wheel and pedals. The robot arm used is similiar to the ones usually found in amusement parks as part of the rides.

Compared to standard simulators, the Cybermotion simulator uses a full range of motions and can also turn players upside down. They have even documented the race simulation process in video form, as a test subject hurtles his car round the Monza track. Feedback between the game and mechanical arm was so good that it only had a delay of 40 miliseconds.

Applications for this technology is countless, as it could be applied to other types of simulators such as planes, helicopters, ships, or even in Formula 1 itself. For now the team are working on expanding its range of motion even further.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Jacob Alexander

Jacob Mathew Alexander has been a motoring nut for as far as he can remember and has recently turned his passion into writing. After spending some time in the same industry in the UK, Jacob's work is from a slightly different perspective.

 

Comments

  • Gajen on Aug 19, 2010 at 9:06 pm

    Wonder if they will feature this in the ferrari theme park in uae

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mystvearn on Aug 19, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    I see. So this was the thing I saw in my friend’s fb page. I thought it was just a normal simulator

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • can create G force aa?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • apple on Aug 19, 2010 at 9:43 pm

    the “eeee! eeee!” sound is kinda creepy.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ariff on Aug 19, 2010 at 9:44 pm

    i notice that F1 acceleration & braking especially can make more than 1G, but the robot can only tilt at most vertically creating only 1G..maximum, it cannot really simulate an F1 car

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • alpha999 on Aug 20, 2010 at 8:46 am

      im sure ur kidding……if not, wow, u must be some sort of artificial intelligence made of cyborg to notice 1G !!!!! ;-)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Ferruccio on Aug 20, 2010 at 11:24 am

        The force of 1G DOUBLES your bodyweight so you would most certainly notice it. The best production sportscars deliver just about 1G through corners and more under braking. Track cars generate higher.

        On your way to work, if you took a corner quickly you most certainly would have felt something unless you are not human and that was not even close to 1G of lateral force.

        Ariff is right and F1 drivers actually experience in excess of 4G in braking and in some high speed corners.

        The robot is not likely able to replicate any where near those kind of forces

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • u sure robot cannot do more 1 G force? do you know what the 100% speed that robot?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • Ferruccio on Aug 21, 2010 at 2:41 am

            I did not say it cannot do more than 1G. It probably can, in some directions, very briefly. It is still very limited.

            The question is how long can it generate the g forces? Lets say the game has a corner that simulates 2 Gs for 1 second. The arm would need to continuously ACCELERATE for 1 second sideways.

            Probably for braking is harder unless its for very brief periods, because degree of freedom for movement in that direction is even more limited

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Dennis on Aug 19, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    What if he crash. xD

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • if they ever decided to turn this into an arcade game…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • moses on Aug 19, 2010 at 10:52 pm

    it will be an arcade game induced orgasm for me.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • JenggaJengga on Aug 19, 2010 at 10:55 pm

    try crash and let see how that panarobo flips.. hehe

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • that robotic arm wasn’t designed to crash, and so as the F1 car…
      I judge that if you put on a drift car in the game sim, it can simulate sideways action, an spin outs, by turning the entire arm clock wise or anti clockwise…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • dukeKTM on Aug 20, 2010 at 2:03 am

    this means my logitech G25 and Playseats is out dated already…. hahaha.. can’t wait for GT5

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Tocam on Aug 20, 2010 at 5:56 am

    Despite providing a smooth tilt, pan and rotating motion, the robotic arm’s reaction time would still be significantly slower than the air-struts simulator as is currently used by most F1 teams.

    The only benefit I can see here is the panning motion which creates some g-force in turns.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kenapa kau salah ali didn't on Aug 20, 2010 at 8:49 am

    how about crash…and burn?and flip over?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sony should package this together with upcoming release of gt5…i want one…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Nonsense. Human senses and abilities extend far beyond what science can replicate. It can come close but only just. If anything this probably just a toy for those who only keep the racing to the PS.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • no need…we Malaysian has so many mat rempits on 2 or 4 wheelers…no need robot arm…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • damn i need to get one of those when Gran Turismo 5 comes out lol :D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Terence Toh on Aug 22, 2010 at 12:34 pm

    I believe Engineers do help too

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Michael on Aug 22, 2010 at 10:51 pm

    Is possibl to create more than 1G, but for that the driver would have to be spinnig in a loop at te same speed..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required