User-Controlled VRML Simulation of an Excavator, Tower Crane, and Dumptruck (NIST)

User-Controlled VRML Simulation of an Excavator, Tower Crane, and Dumptruck

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If you're interested in your own local copy of most of the VRML models, then download this free zip file to your computer. Unzipping the file will create a directory nist_cic_vrml. Use a web browser to load the file equip.html in that directory to display a local copy of this web page.

This project was concluded in 1999. All of the VRML models and PROTOs are provided as-is. No support is available.

VRML file: Excavator, tower crane, and dumptruck simulator: dig and dump the dirt, operate the crane

A drive-in movie theater showing a time-lapse movie of the construction site for the Advanced Measurements Laboratory at NIST. The movie might take several minutes to download and require the correct plugin to play.
Dig and dump the dirt with the excavator. The dirt can only be dumped on the ground. The excavator leaves a trail and will drive over dirt piles.
Construction equipment sounds.
Dump the dirt out of the dumptruck.
Operate the tower crane: rotate the boom, move the hook forward-back and up-down. The hook cannot be attached to anything.
There is collision detection between the excavator body and some of the objects in the world except the dumptruck and dirt.
Use the levers and joystick to control the excavator, tower crane, and dumptruck. See below for an explanation of how the controls work.

VRML file: Excavator simulator: dig and dump dirt; follows the terrain while driving

Use the controls to dig and dump the dirt. The edge of the bucket will deform the terrain. If the bucket is rotated enough it will appear as if there is dirt in it. If there is dirt in the bucket, it can be dumped out by rotating the bucket the opposite way. It doesn't always appear as if there is dirt in the bucket when there should and therefore there is nothing to dump out.
The excavator will follow the terrain and the tracks will leave an indentation on the terrain.
Go to the ExcavatorDriver viewpoint for the driver's view.
There are many other viewpoints including four that track the excavator as it drives.
This is only a visual simulation. There are no physics involved. There is no conservation of dirt. More dirt can be dug than is dumped.
How the controls work
Click and hold down on the levers and joysticks while moving the mouse to operate.
Click on the DRIVE arrows and box to start and stop the dumptruck.
Use the DRIVER and OPERATOR sliders to change the driver's view.
The control panels can be moved around the screen by dragging the grey bar.

Models

The excavator, tower crane, dumptruck, driver, house, and tree models can be viewed individually.
All of the models were significantly optimized and remodeled with Chisel, CosmoWorlds, Flamingo Optimizer, and by hand.

PROTOs

To save the VRML for the protos, right click on the links and save as.
Joystick, lever, and VCR-like controls protos.
The arrow widget proto is based on the up-down proto by Greg Seidman.
The slider proto was also developed by Greg.
The tracking viewpoint proto was developed by Tom Kaye.
The heads-up-display proto for the Controls is based on the front panel proto by Thomas Kolenda.

Other Construction Equipment Simulations

Vitascope - Visualization of Simulated Construction Operations
Automated generation of dynamic, operations level virtual construction scenarios
VRML Excavator from ParallelGraphics that requires Cortona3D.
Caterpillar Backhoe Simulator
Skid Steer Loader Simulator
The Virtual Crane

This software was developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology by employees of the Federal Government in the course of their official duties. Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code this software is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. This software is an experimental system. NIST assumes no responsibility whatsoever for its use by other parties, and makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, about its quality, reliability, or any other characteristic. We would appreciate acknowledgement if the software is used.

This software can be redistributed and/or modified freely provided that any derivative works bear some notice that they are derived from it, and any modified versions bear some notice that they have been modified.

By selecting some of the links above, you will be leaving NIST webspace. We have provided these links to other web sites because they may have information that would be of interest to you. No inferences should be drawn on account of other sites being referenced, or not, from this page. There may be other web sites that are more appropriate for your purpose. NIST does not necessarily endorse the views expressed, or concur with the facts presented on these sites. Further, NIST does not endorse any commercial products that may be mentioned on these sites.

The original URL for this page is http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/equip.html

Date created: October 1, 1998
Last updated: October 23, 2006

	VRML file: Excavator, tower crane, and dumptruck simulator: dig and dump the dirt, operate the crane A drive-in movie theater showing a time-lapse movie of the construction site for the Advanced Measurements Laboratory at NIST. The movie might take several minutes to download and require the correct plugin to play. Dig and dump the dirt with the excavator. The dirt can only be dumped on the ground. The excavator leaves a trail and will drive over dirt piles. Construction equipment sounds. Dump the dirt out of the dumptruck. Operate the tower crane: rotate the boom, move the hook forward-back and up-down. The hook cannot be attached to anything. There is collision detection between the excavator body and some of the objects in the world except the dumptruck and dirt. Use the levers and joystick to control the excavator, tower crane, and dumptruck. See below for an explanation of how the controls work.

	VRML file: Excavator simulator: dig and dump dirt; follows the terrain while driving Use the controls to dig and dump the dirt. The edge of the bucket will deform the terrain. If the bucket is rotated enough it will appear as if there is dirt in it. If there is dirt in the bucket, it can be dumped out by rotating the bucket the opposite way. It doesn't always appear as if there is dirt in the bucket when there should and therefore there is nothing to dump out. The excavator will follow the terrain and the tracks will leave an indentation on the terrain. Go to the ExcavatorDriver viewpoint for the driver's view. There are many other viewpoints including four that track the excavator as it drives. This is only a visual simulation. There are no physics involved. There is no conservation of dirt. More dirt can be dug than is dumped. How the controls work Click and hold down on the levers and joysticks while moving the mouse to operate. Click on the DRIVE arrows and box to start and stop the dumptruck. Use the DRIVER and OPERATOR sliders to change the driver's view. The control panels can be moved around the screen by dragging the grey bar.