OpenEnergySim: a 3D internet based experimental framework for integrating traffic simulation and multi-user immersive driving

  • Authors:

  • Arturo Nakasone;Helmut Prendinger;Marc Miska;Martin Lindner;Ryota Horiguchi;Masao Kuwahara

  • Affiliations:

  • National Institute of Informatics, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan;National Institute of Informatics, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan;Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia;National Institute of Informatics, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan;i-Transport Lab. Co., Ltd., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan;Tohoku University Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 4th International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

In recent years, the use of computer-based simulations in the transportation domain has become increasingly important to analyze and test measures for Intelligent Transport System (ITS) policies. Simulators were built to address several aspects of transport, including traffic, driving experience, and pedestrian behavior. However, as the majority of available simulators are single-user stand-alone systems, traffic engineers cannot easily analyze more complex phenomena, such as the interaction between multiple human drivers or pedestrians. Furthermore, this limitation makes it difficult to collect large-scale behavioral data, which is necessary to draw valid conclusions on driving behavior. Emerging virtual world technology offers a convenient alternative. As a networked multi-user framework that allows users to immerse in the virtual world via a graphical self-representation (an 'avatar'), it allows to develop integrated simulation applications that are conveniently accessible by Internet. In this paper, we present OpenEnergySim, a virtual world based visualization application that integrates traffic simulation and immersive multi-user driving.