Does tilt/translation ratio affect perception of deceleration in driving simulators?

Abstract

Tilt-coordination is a technique which uses the tilt-translation ambiguity of the vestibular system to simulate linear accelerations on dynamic driving simulators, in combination with real linear accelerations. However, the tilt/translation ratio is chosen empirically. We experimentally determine the most realistic tilt/translation ratio to simulate a given value of deceleration. Under specific conditions of driving simulation, five tilt/translation ratios were applied, with an inverse-proportional quantity of tilt and translation, so that the sum of the two (the proportion of the deceleration simulated by translational motion and the proportion simulated by tilt) was always equal to the same overall value (0.8 m/s2). We find that different ratios lead to different perceptions, depending on the quantity of tilt and translation. With a higher tilt ratio, the braking is perceived as being stronger than when there is a higher translation ratio and the most realistic tilt/translation ratio found is neither pure tilt, nor pure translation, but 35/65% tilt/translation. The way these different ratios are perceived during braking is discussed from vestibular and non-vestibular points of view.