VI-grade, a developer of real-time automotive simulation and driving simulators, has announced a partnership with Powersoft, a specialist in audio technology and amplification. The companies are collaborating to integrate Powersoft’s Mover haptic transducer into VI-grade’s Compact Full Spectrum Dynamic Simulator (FSS), which provides motion, vibration and sound in a Human-in-the-Loop environment.
The team at VI-grade felt they needed to upgrade the technology in its Compact FSS simulator to create a more effective, powerful and realistic user experience. The Compact FSS provides full-spectrum simulation from 0.5Hz to 20kHz, making it suitable for ride comfort, overall vehicle refinement characterisation, and evaluating a wide range of vehicle attributes – but there was scope for it to do a little more.
“The haptic feedback element provided by Mover is fundamental to completing the simulation experience, blending its vibrational contributions with those of the other shakers to cover the full range of frequencies, in all depths of field, at which the vehicle is moving,” explained Gabriele Ferrarotti, marketing director at VI-grade.
Powersoft’s Mover was selected as it has a compact design, enabling performance when mounted on moving or vibrating supports within the simulator. The transducer has high force density, claimed to surpass that of bulkier traditional shakers, and an attractive price-to-quality ratio.
The compact nature of Mover means it can be easily integrated into limited spaces, without orientation limits, and to provide a high ratio between moving mass and total mass, which improves the overall efficiency and real-life haptic feedback of the final product.
VI-grade’s internal technical team, responsible for designing, testing and certifying the simulators, first tested Powersoft’s Mover on a static version of the simulator. Their positive experience during this phase solidified their decision to integrate Mover into the new simulator model.
“We are thrilled with the finished product, and the feedback from users during our demos has been overwhelmingly positive,” added Ferrarotti. “The integration of Mover onto our Compact FSS simulator allows to evaluate the entire frequency spectrum on a single simulator from handling to noise.”
The partnership between Powersoft and VI-grade involved dedicated support from Powersoft’s team, who addressed challenges including space constraints in integrating Mover into the Compact FSS. Along with the integration of Mover, the simulator now also benefits from two new energy-efficient Powersoft Mezzo amplifiers, replacing an old eight-channel amplifier.
“We are particularly thrilled about this collaboration with VI-grade,” stated Francesca Cenni, key account professional leader at Powersoft. “We have taken innovative steps in partnering with automotive manufacturers, and we’re rapidly solidifying our commitment to this sector. This partnership has been an exciting journey, showcasing Mover’s relevance within the automotive industry and the capabilities it brings to our partners.”
