May 2, 2016

The Motion Simulation Lab (MSL) and it’s 2.5-ton Voyager platform is a flexible entertainment and research device that’s for use by the entire Drexel Community. With the help of a Westphal Mini-Grant, the MSL is under re-construction as Robert Lloyd, Digital Media and Game Design & Production Professor, and students  work feverishly to make needed repairs and updates.

In February, DNews featured “Infinite Skies,” a game that utilized the motion base for the final game in the Game Development Workshop. The Mechanical Engineering students working with the MSL on their senior project are wrapping up this term. Their modular deck and cabin design will be used next year to pursue funding to remove the existing cabin and replace it with the new system that will make it easily reconfigurable for multiple research and entertainment applications.

Recently, the Theme Park Engineering & Design (TPED) student group visited the MSL to sample ongoing game projects. MSL plans on adapting a rollercoaster design application (No Limits Coaster) to drive the platform and host local high school students for a workshop to design and ride their creations. Other future projects for the MSL are also being discussed, with hopes to establish a Motion Simulation Lab website and exciting plans of hosting a game jam with local developers.

The Motion Simulation Lab is open to inquiries and proposals for research and entertainment projects from any Drexel program. In particular, the MSL is looking for CCI and ECE students for an important control system senior design project starting next fall, and plans to offer a special topics workshop in making games with motion simulation. For more information contact Rob Lloyd at rel63@drexele.du