Affiliations: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and
Geodetic Science, The Ohio State University, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH
43210, USA
Abstract: A proper assessment of traffic accident site and prompt clearance
actions with response emergency vehicles are crucial to reduce related
congestion on freeways. Training novice officers in accident site management
will reduce inappropriate assessment that delays rapid clearance response. The
INtelligent TRaffic Evaluator for Prompt Incident Diagnosis using a Reality
Engine (INTREPID-RE) simulates traffic accidents using the virtual reality
technique. The system allows users to evaluate accidents as if they were
present at a real accident site. The simulated traffic accidents generated by
INTREPID-RE are based on a combination of vehicle types, highway conditions,
visibility, and final position of the involved vehicles. In this first of a
two-part paper, the research results in major features, such as the creation of
an interactive user interface panel, seven highway configurations, five types
of traffic vehicles, overturning condition of the vehicles, traffic cones,
nighttime visibility, foggy weather conditions, animation of moving vehicles,
and dynamic text display. These features are the essential ingredients for
developing the virtual world discussed in the second part of the paper.
Keywords: 3D object, cyberspace, incident management, traffic accident, traffic safety, traffic simulation, virtual reality, virtual world
