VirtuWheel

A 3D Driving Simulator with Body Pose Control

VirtuWheel is a 3D driving simulator that offers a unique experience by allowing users to control the steering wheel using their body pose. In contrast to traditional simulators that require specific hardware like a physical steering wheel and gear shift, our system only needs a regular laptop and a budget camera, and an optional Logitech command board for enhanced controllability. The simulator immerses users in a realistic real-world environment, enhancing the driving experience while making it more accessible.

Features

• Body Pose Control: Users can control the steering wheel through their body pose.

• Integrated command board: It is possible to integrate a Logitech board into the system, allowing for additional actions like taking screenshots, changing the car speed, and changing the direction (forward/backward).

• Realistic Environment: The simulator provides a real-world driving experience with realistic scenery.

• Minimal Requirements: Only a regular laptop and a budget camera are required, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Installation

Python Real-time Pose Detector

Clone the repository and install the required dependencies:

pip install opencv-python numpy>=1.24.0 mediapipe

We changed some parameters that are hardcoded in Mediapipe's code base. Go to solutions/drawing_utils.py in Mediapipe's library (typically at ~/anaconda3/lib/python<VERSION>/site-packages/mediapipe/python/solutions/drawing_utils.py), and set

_PRESENCE_THRESHOLD = 0.05
_VISIBILITY_THRESHOLD = 0.1

at the beginning of the file.

Then download the required model files (in a .zip) from this Google Drive folder and put the unzipped folder OpenPose_models under the home directory of the project.

Unity 3D Environment

Download the 3D Unity environment from this Google Drive folder. Put it in the project home directory. Refer to the Unity official manual for installation instructions.

Usage

First execute the Python pose detection backend and leave it running on a separate terminal.

python obtain_angle.py

Then run the project on Unity in game mode. Open the environment from Unity and play it as is.

Finally, enjoy.

Authors

• Malika Utailineyeva. Developed the main Unity app and integrated the different components.

• Jaume Ros. Created the real-world Lausanne 3D environment.

• Valentin Schepotev. Programmed the Logitech command board and integrated it into the system.

• Alvaro Budria. Implemented the body pose detector and the steering wheel algorithm.