This paper reviews the development of the International Centre for Research in Simulation, Motion and Navigation Technologies, SIMONA, a program of the Delft University of Technology, based in The Netherlands. A primary goal of SIMONA is to investigate the interaction between humans and flight vehicles in a synthetic environment, and thereby address pertinent problems in the development and application of simulation technologies. Central to SIMONA is a highbandwidth, reconfigurable research simulator. This device (the SIMONA Research Simulator, or SRS) provides to its occupants very highfidelity motion cues through a six-degrees-of freedom hydraulic motion system and a wideangle continuous collimating visual display system. The flight-deck is configured inside a composite-materials shell which serves also as the primary structure of the moving platform. The paper describes the purpose and the status of SIMONA, outlining the recent goals achieved in the process of realizing this unique facility. In particular, the initial results of the motion system calibration tests are described. The paper concludes with a projection of expected development milestones and research programs.
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Edvani et al. (1997) studied this question.