Title
Snow Rendering for Interactive Snowplow Simulation - Supporting Safety in Snowplow Design
Publisher
Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota
Abstract
During a snowfall, following a snowplow can be extremely dangerous. This danger comes from the human visual system’s inability to accurately perceive the speed and motion of the snowplow, often resulting in rear-end
collisions. For this project, the researchers' goal is to use their understanding of how the human visual system processes optical motion under the conditions created by blowing snow to create a simulation framework that could
be used to test emergency lighting configurations that reduce rear-end collisions with snowplows. Reaction times for detecting the motion of the snowplow will be measured empirically for a variety of color set-ups on a simulated
snowplow that slows down while driving on a virtual road with curves and hills. Current efforts have implemented a blowing snow model that will eventually be integrated into a real-time driving simulation environment.
Concurrently, a simulated driving environment has been developed that will serve as the basis for testing the effects of color and lighting alternatives on snowplows. In initial pilot experiments, the simulated driving environment has been effective at testing subject reaction times for following a snowplow through high luminance contrast (normal daylight driving) and low luminance contrast (daylight fog) conditions. The results of this work will move the researchers closer to determining optimal color and lighting configurations on actual snowplows.
Funding information
Department of Computer Science and Northland Advanced Transportation Systems Research Laboratories, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Suggested Citation
Willemsen, Peter.
(2013).
Snow Rendering for Interactive Snowplow Simulation - Supporting Safety in Snowplow Design.
Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota.
Retrieved from the University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy,
https://hdl.handle.net/11299/144018.