Activities
The laboratory aims at developing interdisciplinary expertise necessary for analysing and modelling behavioural aspects related to interaction between humans, vehicles, infrastructures and the environment through:
- permanent infrastructural component based on a virtual reality simulator aimed at the ex ante verification of the expected behavioural models, the joint optimisation of vehicle and infrastructure, together with the ex post and in itinere increase of the statistical significance of the experiments on the road
- mobile component based on a vehicle instrumented for measurement out on the field of the performance and driver's reactions in various driving conditions and acquisition of environmental data to be reproduced ex post in simulation
Equipment
Software instruments for analysis and model making of transport systems provided by the Transport Group of the Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (DABC):
- Image processing software for roundabout traffic flows (VeTRA 2D/3D proprietary software)
- Balance assignment software (ACS-TA proprietary software)
- Roundabout design and evaluation software (Transoft TORUS®)
- Micro simulation software (AIMSUN ® -TSS)
Instruments for obtaining physiological and psychophysical data on drivers made available by the Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics of the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) for I.DRIVE Laboratory researches:
- 2 complete ProComp Infiniti systems
- 1 EEG amplifier with accessories
Cameras for outdoors and indoors transport made available by the Transports Groups of the ABC Department:
- 2 Prosilica B/W cameras complete with optical equipment
- 3 Axis cameras complete with optical equipment
Driver’s seat simulator for driver’s seat simulation made available by the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DMEC):
- Driver’s seat (seat, pedal)
- HMD and VR/AR eyeglasses for viewing virtual environment, whose use is to be validated for certain case studies
- Management software for visual simulation of the task of “driving on a road”
- HiL bench
The DEIB Department makes a Tazzari vehicle (http://www.tazzari-zero.com/en/) available to the laboratory.
The laboratory uses the following under free loans:
- An Empatica E3 wristband
Main services provided by I.DRIVE
- Scanning and processing images inside vehicle and simulator side
- Scanning of psychophysiological data on drivers in the vehicle and simulator
- Reconstruction of environments recorded by the vehicle and their simulation in virtual reality
- Development and validation through vehicle and simulator of behavioural models of the driver, traffic simulation, analysis and planning of transport systems
- Study of driver's reaction to automatic advanced driving assistance technologies
- Measurement of the impact of different functional designs of the road and traffic situations on driver's performance
- Design and validation of new driver assistance devices (e.g. AR on screen projection systems, voice assistants)
Tasks management
In relation to the activities referred to in Art. 1 of the Laboratory's rules, the project manager suggests a solution to the Management Committee that evaluates its innovation content and feasibility in relation to the facility's characteristics and mission. After approval by the Management Committee, arrangements are made for planning tasks by picking:
- facilities and processes necessary for carrying out tasks
- the people involved and those who will have access to the laboratory for performing tasks
- the timing of tasks and the corresponding value, assessed on the rate book
Agreements of an organisational and financial nature connected to the above-mentioned tasks are summed up on a task card, signed by the Management Committee and the task manager (contract/job order manager, PhD tutor, others belonging to the University) and must be approved by the Management Committee.
Herewith enclosed the Laboratory’s rules (Italian only).
Procedures and costs of using equipment
The following people are allowed to use the Laboratory:
- organised university personnel, research fellows, PhD students and students preparing their thesis
- persons from outside wishing to use the facilities who must follow the procedures for using it established in the rules
Before being allowed to use the resources, each user must:
- specify the research fund costs are to be charged to and obtain authorisation from the fund manager if he/she belongs to the university
- for everyone else, stipulate with the laboratory a suitable contract (research, commissioned test, or other form allowed by the university)
Management committee
The Management Committee is formed by one representative for each Department involved: Architecture, Building environment and Construction engineering (DABC); Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB); Mechanical Engineering (DMEC); Architecture and Urban Studies (DASTU). Each representative can appoint a replacement. The activities of the Management Committee are coordinated by a member of the same committee called the coordinator.
Representatives:
- Monica Bordegoni (DMEC)
- Matteo Matteucci (DEIB)
- Lorenzo Mussone (DABC)
- Barbara Piga (DASTU)
- Giandomenico Caruso (DMEC)
Replacements:
- Luca Bascetta (DEIB)
- Federico Cheli (DMEC)
- Luca Marescotti (DABC)