"A New Driving Simulator for Sleep Research"

Created on January 23, 2010

2010   ·   paper   ·   papers

A New Driving Simulator for Sleep Research

Waxman, J. A., Leigh, J., Carley DW.

image Driving Simulator Long, Straight Road Scenario Credit: J.A. Waxman

Driving safety is sensitive to conditions and diseases that affect sleep, and individuals with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have a high risk of at-fault accidents. Most driving simulators used for research are unrealistic, stationary, prohibitively expensive, or not specifically designed to study sleep disorders. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of a new lowcost, portable, realistic driving simulator intended for use in sleep disorders research.

Objectives

  • Free, open-source software, based on Ogre3D graphics engine
  • Portable, inexpensive hardware
  • Realistic
  • Specifically aimed at studying daytime cognition and performance of individuals with sleep disorders
  • Track lane position, speed, steering wheel position, braking, acceleration, collisions, and reaction times
  • Configurable via XML files