Current mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) are equipped with several sensors that allow different forms of user interaction. They also offer several connectivity options and a growing computing power which supports its use in new Human Computer Interaction (HCI) scenarios. This paper presents the mobileWheel, a system that exploits the capabilities of current mobile devices as a means of interaction with a real-time graphical driving simulation running on a desktop computer. The application on the mobile device performs data acquisition from various sensors (focusing on the 3D accelerometer) and also provides different types of feedback to the user. This system represents a ubiquitous, simple and affordable alternative approach to the traditional control of virtual vehicles in driving simulators and could also be applied in other similar architectures. To evaluate and validate this approach several tests were conducted with volunteer users. The control mode where the virtual vehicle is fully controlled by the accelerometer had the highest acceptance and produced the best results.

i-ETC : ISEL Academic Journal of Electronics Telecommunications and Computers, Vol 2, No 1 (2013): The CETC2011 Issue