NASA develops immersive simulator to optimise air taxi passenger experience

NASA researchers at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre in California have built a custom virtual reality (VR) flight simulator to study passenger comfort and experience in future air taxi services.

The simulator features a movable platform that can realistically simulate the motion of an air taxi, combined with VR visuals and spatialized audio to create an immersive experience.

NASA test pilot Wayne Ringelberg recently completed test rides in the simulator, providing feedback to the research team on the realism of the visual, motion and audio cues.

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This simulator is the centerpiece of NASA Armstrong's VR passenger ride quality laboratory, which aims to gather data on how passengers respond to the motions, vibrations, noise and visual stimuli they may encounter during air taxi flights.

Human subject studies

Over the next four years, NASA will conduct a series of human subject studies using the simulator. Participants will wear VR headsets and be secured in the moving platform, then asked to indicate any discomfort they experience as they virtually fly through a simulated urban environment.

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The data collected from these experiments will help design future air taxis, including elements like seat placement, window size and flight paths. This information will be shared with industry and government partners to ensure a positive experience for air taxi passengers.

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"This project is leveraging our research and test pilot aircrew with vertical lift experience to validate the safety and accuracy of the lab in preparation for test subject evaluations," said Ringelberg.

"The experiments in the ride quality lab will inform the advanced air mobility community about the acceptability of the motions these aircraft could make, so the general public is more likely to adopt the new technology."

This work is part of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission, which aims to support the development of electric air taxis and drones by providing data and guidance totheindustry.

(With inputs from agencies)