Seven degrees of freedom motion simulator
Where physical motion meets immersive technology: the University of Birmingham's seven degrees of freedom simulator enables researchers to examine how people experience and interact with flight.
Where motion meets immersive technology
Located in the Advanced Simulator Laboratory within the School of Metallurgy and Materials, this helicopter-based research platform brings together aerospace engineering, human factors and extended reality. Unique among UK universities, it supports research into flight dynamics and the human experience of future aircraft.
A seventh degree of freedom
The simulator provides full six-axis motion control - surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw - together with an additional degree of freedom that enables continuous, unrestricted yaw rotation beyond 360 degrees. This capability supports the representation of complex manoeuvres relevant to rotary-wing aircraft and loss-of-control research.
Human-centred, interdisciplinary research
Integrated virtual reality and extended reality systems allow interactive digital environments to be experienced alongside coordinated motion cues. Researchers can therefore investigate pilot-centred and passenger-centred questions within the same facility, including passenger experience, control interfaces, training and future aircraft design. The platform strengthens the University's capability for combined motion-based and immersive experimental research.