The National Advanced Driving Simulator houses the world's most advanced driving simulator. This one-of-a-kind simulator, NADS-1, provides the most realistic virtual driving experience available. The facility also houses two additional simulation platforms: NADS-2, a fixed-base simulator with a smaller visual field of view, and the NADS MiniSim, a low-cost PC-based portable simulator. All NADS simulators rely upon the same underlying technology developed through years of work and research at The University of Iowa.

The NADS facility is fully capable of supporting studies of varying lengths and complexities. The facility features separate and secure areas for study preparation and the ensuing data collection. The data collection is supported by a highly qualified, multi-disciplinary research team with extensive experience in conducting clinical trials and human subject studies. Our convenient location, near Interstates 80 and 380, provides easy access for participants not only from the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City areas, but also from as far away as Des Moines, Davenport, and Chicago. For studies that require participants to be recruited and transported to the facility from around the country, NADS is a short 15-minute drive from the Eastern Iowa Airport and is located within minutes of several hotels. As participants arrive at our facility, they are greeted by a member of our dedicated professional staff and escorted to a private room for training and preparation. In the unlikely event of medical emergencies, our medically trained staff can attend to the participant’s needs in a stocked medical room.

The NADS facility has the capability of hosting large groups in one of two conference rooms with full telephone and video-conferencing facilities. Clients may also visit our facility during data collection and monitor the progress of their studies through camera links between the simulator and the conference room.

The NADS facility features a separate garage area for hardware-related study preparation. Our hardware engineers and maintenance staff use this area to prepare and instrument cabs and devices.

  

 

  

The NADS is best known for its high-fidelity ground vehicle driving simulator, named the NADS-1. This simulator is comprised of a 13-degree-of-freedom motion base with the largest motion envelope of any existing driving simulator. The motion system's unique capabilities set it apart from other simulators, enabling the NADS-1 to accurately reproduce motion cues for sustained acceleration and braking maneuvers, movement across multiple lanes of traffic, and interaction with varying road surfaces. Realistic reproduction of these combined maneuvers is not possible in fixed-base or limited-lateral-movement simulation.

To add to the realism, the NADS-1 consists of an entire car, sport utility vehicle, or truck cab located inside a 24-foot dome. Each vehicle cab is equipped with full instrumentation specific to its make and model. Accelerator and brake pedals utilize software-controlled electrical motors to provide feedback, thus allowing unlimited flexibility in programming specific pedal feedback mechanisms. The steering wheel is similarly designed to allow customized steering response to each vehicle type. All dashboard indicators are operational, and the majority of control switches are instrumented. Multiple in-vehicle cameras provide customized views of the cab environment.

Another feature that sets the NADS-1 apart from other driving simulators is its wraparound 360-degree visual display system. This system consists of eight projectors that project visual imagery inside the dome. All scenery is updated and displayed 60 times per second.









 

 

  

The NADS also features two medium-fidelity simulators. The NADS-2 is a fixed base version of the NADS-1 with a limited field of view. The NADS-2 is an ideal complement to the NADS-1 for simulation needs that don't require motion. The NADS-2 features 3 front channels with a field of view of 140 degrees. Two more visual channels are available to simulate the scenery rear and/or side-view mirrors. The NADS-2 uses the same vehicle cabs as the NADS-1 and employs the same underlying software technology with the NADS-1 to ensure scenario and data compatibility.






 

 

  

The SIREN (Simulator for Interdisciplinary Research in Ergonomics and Neuroscience) is another fixed-base simulator located at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This simulator is uniquely located inside a hospital to perform clinical research on at-risk subjects. This system has 3 forward displays providing a field of view of 120 degrees. It uses an instrumented Saturn cab and provides scenarios specifically designed to collect measures related to driver performance.








 

 

  

The NADS has developed a PC-based simulator called the NADS MiniSim. This portable simulator is easily deployable and configurable. The MiniSim can be configured to have single or multiple displays and runs on only 2 PCs. The system can be configured to have a high-quality steering wheel and pedals that can be mounted on a desk or built into a sophisticated cab to user specifications. The MiniSim is based on the same software technology as the NADS-1 and NADS-2, ensuring compatibility of scenarios and data across simulators.