The simulator is a car seat that bumps and vibrates next to a wall with a car window opening. From the opposite side of the wall is projected a moving scene onto a large curved screen a meter away. On the front, outside of the wall, a vent blows air from a fan.
Can’t get away or can’t take your pet with you? Let it hang out at home and enjoy the sights and sounds of a trip to the country or a city tour.-- FarmerJohn, Jan 30 2003 How the hell do you come up with these things, [FJ]? +-- PeterSilly, Jan 30 2003 Some dogs' persistence of vision is not enough to recognize a 30 fps video screen as an actual moving image (it just looks like a flashing light to them). So you better make sure your projected image is a very high frame rate. Or just use a lower tech solution: a loop of fabric with rolling scenery painted on it.-- krelnik, Jan 30 2003 I imagine my dog would tire of this very quickly. I think dogs seem to enjoy the real thing because they are experiencing inertia, and not only sights and sounds but smells. Also, I've never felt anything quite like the wind on my face while sticking my head outside a moving vehicle, a fan just isn't the same.-- RoboBust, Jan 30 2003 In the film Letter From an Unknown Woman, the lovers visit a tourist attraction which comprises a mock-up train carriage and outside the window a painted screen which moves past from one roller to another like a scroll to simulate landscape going past a moving train.-- kropotkin, Jan 30 2003 How lovely for them.-- RoboBust, Jan 30 2003 couldn't this be used for children as well?-- rbl, Jan 30 2003 [krop..] I thought you were going to say that they were either side of the window. ..-- po, Jan 30 2003 Seriously.. this would be a great idea for toddlers. My 1 year old used to conk out instantly after 15 minutes in a car set. I would get him to sleep at home by sitting him on my knee with my arm acting as a restraining bar, bumping him with my knee randomly and sweeping my other hand periodically in front of his eyes to simulate street lights passing by on the road at night. Really works.
I could imagine a shaker motor attached to a toddler seat with engine noise and a small light softly going and coming. Toss in a double shot of Robitussin, and its enter the Sandman-- surfoos, Mar 16 2003 random, halfbakery