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4DV-SIM | 4DV-SIMULATOR | User Guide

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4DV-SIM | 4DV-SIMULATOR | User Guide

Page Contents

Overview

4DV-SIMULATOR is a real-time 3D hardware-in-the-loop simulator designed to meet the technical and commercial challenges of developing autonomous and instrumented systems such as robots, vehicles, and drones—whether autonomous or remotely operated. Its modular architecture allows it to evolve with project needs by integrating new features and resources. As the core of the 4DV-SIM suite, 4DV-SIMULATOR delivers realistic, interactive, and scalable simulation capabilities.

4DV-SIMULATOR is running the 3D real-time and hardware-in-the-loop simulation.

The architecture is the following: 

  • An interaction management engine: This patented engine makes it possible to manage all the data conveyed by the simulator and guarantee the spatial and temporal consistency of the physical and graphical properties. 

  • A visual rendering engine that allows a realistic graphic representation of scenes and robots. This engine is critical to create accurate optical phenomenon used in the simulation (camera). 

  • A physical engine to manage the interactions of robots and their sensors with the environment. It gives the robot a realistic behaviour regarding its dynamics and the wheel-ground contact.

A spatialized sound generator in simulation is also available in the simulator allowing you to listen to and record the scene, to add personalized sound sequences to the scene.

Main View

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When the simulation is running, a visualization window displays the current simulation. The initial camera position corresponds to the 3D view configuration in 4DV-Editor. You can move the camera using the keyboard arrow keys (forward, backward, left, right) and adjust its orientation by clicking and dragging with the mouse. Please note, it is possible to change the camera view with B or N keys, at this time, the camera place behind a system.

This main window includes various buttons and information panels:

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Preview Frames Button : Shows or hides the coordinate systems of the various systems and actors in the scene.

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Preview Frames Button : Shows or hides the coordinate systems of the various systems and actors in the scene.

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Preview Debug Button: Shows or hides the meshes that make up the 3D models in the scene.

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Preview Joints Button: Shows or hides the different joints defined in the scene.

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Camera Button: Sets parameters of principle camera

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Lock Button: Prevents the 3D visualization data from being refreshed.

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Help Button: Displays help information.

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Interfaces Button: Displays the list of interfaces configured in the simulation.

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Credit Button: Credits.

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RTF : Real-Time Factor configuration.

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Pause / Play Buttons: Allows pausing or stepping through the simulation.

At the bottom of the window, an information bar displays:

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  • Clock: Simulation time elapsed since the start.

  • Real-Time: Percentage of real-time execution (with the sampling time used in the simulation shown in parentheses, in seconds).

  • Physics: Percentage of Time spent / Sampling Time on physics calculations.

  • Visual: Percentage of Time spent / Sampling Time on visual rendering