VIRTUAL REALITY SHIP SIMULATOR

This paper describes prototype Virtual Reality Ship Simulator (VRSS) that we have recently developed next-generation training equipment based on the virtual reality (VR) technology. The inherent defects of conventional ship simulators are enormous costs and difficult system upgrade due to the system construction, such as large mock-up bridge system, wide visual presentations, In this paper, to cope with those problems, we explored VR technology that can give realistic environments in a virtual world. Then we constructed prototype VRSS system, which is, consists of PC-based human sensors, and Databases set having 3D object models and coefficients of Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs). 3D-WEBMASTER authoring tool was used as Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). Using the VRSS system, we constructed Port an Passage Simulator for the harbor of INCHON in Korea, and Ship and Sea State Simulator for an arbitrary given sea environmental states by user. Through many simulation tests, we testified the efficiency of developed prototype VRSS by subject assessment with five participants. Then, we present results on the simulation experiments and conclude with discussion of evaluation results.