Honda Worldwide | Technology Close-up



	Debut of the Second-generation Riding Simulators The world's first riding simulators, mass-produced in 1996, were put to practical use in the training curriculums of motorcycles as an educational equipment on safe driving and are found to be useful for the improvement of capacity to predict critical situations, thus effective for the prevention of accidents. In 2001, aiming at further spread of education for safe driving, Honda developed the second-generation riding simulators, which are low-priced and compact and enriched in educational functions while retaining high performance as riding simulators.

Features of New Riding Simulators

A entirely new model was developed, maintaining the high performance spoken highly of the previous model, for the purpose of further spread and improvement in functions. Outstanding features as compared with the type before are "substantial reduction in price", "riding unit easily changeable to scooter", "lightweight and compact design" enabling easy installation, "images and sound with improved feeling of appearance on the scenes" and "completion of various educational functions".

Thoroughly Compact Design

As compared with the previous model, the new model is made compact by 600mm in length, 140mm in width and weight reduced to a half. Contributed largely to this is the reduction of the number of parts by re-design of the motion base, which reproduces the motion of motorcycles, and the aluminum cast projector box. As for the structural layout, the adoption of a projector equipped with short focus lens of new design and the optimum layout in the box of control system equipment has enabled to achieve compact project box despite of enlarged screen.

Comparison with Conventional Machines
L: 2940 mm

2330 mm
W: 1320 mm

1182 mm
H: 2010 mm

1740 mm

Substantial Change in Movable Systems

The largest change was made in the motion base, movable unit. Exclusive motors and reduction box were used before for the roll or the tilt in the direction of left and right and for the pitch or the tilt in the direction of fore and aft. Highly rigid bearings and sturdy frame were required for this because of large load imposed since the motor for roll had to move the motor for pitch. In the new model, the same pitch and roll centers were maintained by arranging bearings at the locations where exclusive motors and reduction box were positioned before, and similar roll and pitch motions were reproduced by locating drive motors on the left and right of the front. As the result, a substantial reduction of weight was achieved.

Motion Base

Roll and pitch shafts are arranged between a T-shaped base frame and the body frame. Since the positions of shafts largely affect the bodily feeling on riding, layout is so made to agree with the shaft centers before. An arm is arranged in the front of body frame to hold the hollow servomotor. A hollow motor proper is connected to the arm through a universal joint. The shaft of ball screw is connected to the base frame with the universal joint. As the result, the body is supported at three points to determine its posture. With the motors on the left and right moving up and down in the same directions, pitching is reproduced. Rolling is reproduced with the motion of motors on the left and right in opposite directions.

Control System

The operation of the rider is taken in from sensors with the host computer at its center and kinetic computation of motorcycles is made. The results of computation are conveyed to each device as information such as engine revolution, speed and body posture. The meter indicates speed; the sound device generates engine sound and environmental sounds and the image generating device will prepare images corresponding to the positions and postures of the rider. At the same time, the servomotor will change the posture of motorcycle body to give the rider illusion as if he is actually riding.

Educational Functions

Shown on the former operation screen was the composite of speed and the operations of rider like braking and the images of vision in the front. In addition to them, bird-eye views and a message window were added in the new model. Locations selected at one's option can be magnified and shown on the map, and traffic conditions in surroundings can be confirmed. The message window, on the other hand, will show real time the area presently driven through and the reasons for accidents (collision, brake lock, etc.)

Evolution of Operation Screen


Conditions of operations by riders and front images were combined and indicated before.		In addition to the manipulation by riders and front images, bird-eye view showing traffic conditions (magnified indication possible) and message window to show the reasons of accidents.

Multi-eye

By a regeneration function called multi-eye, images can be reproduced from various points of views after completion of training, so it can be effectively utilized for guidance. Furthermore, a function was added to the multi-eye to measure and display the distance between two optional points during replay and temporary stop, to enable easy measurement by clicking the screen.

This is an example of measuring the distance between an oncoming sedan turning to the right in a blind spot and one's own bike. This function is considered effective for giving scientific education on the necessity of distance between vehicles going in the same direction in accordance with the speed.