Advances in Transportation Studies an international Journal 2008 Special Issue Implementing an analog speedometer in STISIM Drive using Parallax BSTAMP microcontroller J-F Tessier 1,2 M. Kaszap 1 M. Lavallière 1,2 M. Tremblay 1,2 N. Teasdale 1,2 1 Université Laval, Faculté de médecine, Division de Kinésiologie, PEPS, Québec, Canada 2 Unité de recherche sur le vieillissement, Centre de recherche FRSQ du CHA universitaire de Québec email: Normand.Teasdale@kin.msp.ulaval.ca Abstract In a non-instrumented cab, STISIM Drive software normally projects the speed of the vehicle through a dashboard presented on the simulation screen. This simulated dashboard can be displayed with several graphical options. In all cases, there is a loss of information arising from the road. A solution is to integrate the speedometer into a dashboard and to disable the simulated projection. This solution increases the virtual immersion of the driver and presents speed in a more realistic way. We are proposing a simple solution based on Parallax Inc. Basic Stamp microcontroller. In addition to its low cost and simplicity, this solution allows integration of other technical elements of the driving experience (e.g., activation of turn signals, horn, etc.). Keywords – Simulator environment, odometer, microcontroller, visual immersion 1. Introduction A perennial issue when using driving simulators involves the validity and fidelity of the simulator. Modern PCs and associated technologies (for instance, graphics card) have allowed to improve these aspects and to produce realistic scenes and sound effects to immerse the driver in the roadway environment [1]. When using a non-instrumented cab most software simulators projects the speed of the vehicle through a dashboard presented on the simulation screen. In STISIM Drive, several graphical options are available. Figure 1 shows four different possible displays. In all cases there is a loss of information arising from the road since an analog or a digital speedometer presented with or without a cab structure is displayed in the bottom of the scenario projection. A solution is to integrate the speedometer into a genuine dashboard and to disable the projected dashboard and speedometer. This solution increases the virtual immersion of the driver and presents speed in a more realistic way. There are different methods to achieve this goal. Mostly for standardization purposes, the method proposed by Systems Technology Inc. requires a digital to analog board, a voltage to frequency converter and a speedometer using a square wave frequency signal as input. The digital to analog board outputs a voltage signal proportional to the speed. - 91 -