VR Bicycle Simulator

The bicycle is one of the fastest means of transport in urban areas. While you are almost certain to be stuck in traffic jams at certain peak times by car, the bicycle offers a simple solution to get around this. Furthermore, the long-term costs that a bicycle brings with it are many times lower than those of a car. Also, in times when the fine dust pollution in urban areas is constantly reaching new peaks, it is a good idea to think about switching to the bicycle.

However, recent studies have shown that many people are afraid to ride bicycles in the city for fear of not being seen by motorists. The BS was developed, among other things, to solve this problem.

For this project, a Unity3D VR simulation was developed to run on the HTC Vive Pro Eye headset. Through the implementation of many sensors, as well as actuators, the signals of the BS can be read from the real world and used in the Unity3D VR simulation. It is also possible to use signals from the VR simulation to adjust the BS in the real world. For example, if there is an incline in the VR simulation, the resistance when pedaling in the real world is also increased to ensure an authentic and immersive experience for the cyclist.

The BS provides a cost-effective way for cyclists to face their fears without exposing themselves to real danger. In addition, several studies are interested in how much cyclists' behavior changes depending on the environment and in which situations this occurs. For this purpose, the cycling behavior of test persons can be measured in different scenarios (rural, urban).

The BS is actively used to conduct research in these areas:

• Cycling behaviour
• Cycling Safety

To give the cyclist the most authentic experience possible, the following sensors and actuators were implemented. These sensors and actuators are used to control the bicycle in the simulation:

• The Direto XR trainer is used instead of the rear wheel to measure speed and resistance while cycling uphill in simulation.
• The MP1 Nfinity Rocker Plate simulates the angle of inclination of the bike measured by a BNO055 sensor.
• A rotation angle sensor is used to measure the braking force of the BS.
• Elite Rizer to measure the steering of the BS and adjust the vertical inclination of the bike when going uphill in the simulation.
• A KICKR Headwind Bluetooth fan to synchronize the bike speed in virtual reality with the headwind in real time.
• A HTC Vive Pro Eye VR headset  to run the Unity3D simulation.