In Virtual reality news
September 14, 2021 – VRM Switzerland, a provider of flight training simulation solutions, announced today that the University of Applied Sciences in Zurich (ZHAW) has selected the company for a research partnership and as a result has acquired a helicopter simulator VRM Switzerland Virtual Reality (VR).
At the ZHAW Aviation Center, the Flight Mechanics and Flight Control Systems team will use and develop the simulator for various research and development purposes, as well as in human factor research and human-machine interfaces. According to VRM Switzerland, a motion-based simulator is needed, as motion feedback to the pilot is critical to achieving the required realism in various flight conditions, such as near-ground flying operation or recovery training. of nuisances in general aviation.
VRM Switzerland develops and builds virtual reality simulators for the training of helicopter pilots that provide full body immersion, giving pilots the feeling of being seated in a real helicopter. A unique feature of the company’s helicopter simulator is its highly dynamic motion platform, developed and built in-house. It allows pilots to accurately feel the best changes in attitude and touchdown on the ground and allows for a realistic representation of flight behavior. A posture tracking system also maps the pilot’s movements to the virtual environment, allowing the operation of the modeled cabin to be accurately modeled, including haptic perception, as in the actual helicopter.
Commenting on the association, Dr. Pierluigi Capone, leader of ZHAW’s team of flight mechanisms and flight control systems, said: “Compared to huge and expensive simulators with large dome screens, a VR device allows for affordable simulation with a small footprint. Virtual reality technology also enables research in the fields of human factors and human-machine interfaces. “
The university will use the VRM Switzerland solution primarily to simulate helicopters and planes with tilting rotors that can glide close to the ground. This requires a high-resolution visual system and a dynamic motion system to provide pilots with the necessary visual references and perceptions. “This is critical to the reality of the simulation experience for the pilot,” Dr. Capone noted.
The university offers 9 different degree programs and its Aviation Center is the only one in Switzerland that offers a degree in aviation. According to Professor Thomas Järmann, head of teaching at ZHAW, most of the university’s professors come from the business world and carry out research and development projects together with industry partners. The results then flow directly to the lessons to provide a practical and up-to-date curriculum.
Professor Michel Guillaume, Head of the ZHAW Aviation Center, commented: “The Aviation Center has 10 years of experience in research using simulators and supported the development of the Pilatus PC24 with internally installed research permanently. and didactic simulator. With the most advanced technology of the VRM Switzerland product, we have found a unique solution that allows innovative research as part of undergraduate and master’s degree programs in aviation. “
At the beginning of the year, VRM Switzerland, in collaboration with the headset manufacturer VR Varjo, received the approval of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which was the first time that the agency officially qualified a solution based on virtual reality for aviation training.
To learn more about VRM Switzerland and its virtual reality-based helicopter training platform, visit the company website.
Image / video credit: VRM Switzerland / YouTube