High-end Italian simulator builders Evotek Engineering have released a short trailer highlighting an upcoming technological development to their simulator program. The team are preparing to launch Evotek Engineering’s G-Seat, which is basically an electric-powered system that will replicate sustained G-forces while using their 027 formula style motion chassis.
Last Christmas I was fortunate enough to visit Evotek in Maranello, Italy, where l was treated to test drives in both their older 026 and new 027 chassis. At the time, this new feature was being worked on and was not ready for use. The premise behind Evotek’s G-Seat is a series of constantly moving electric actuators, which increase and decrease the pressure to essentially produce sustained G-forces when cornering.
Gianluigi Cavani, head engineer at Evotek told me that the amount of force or pressure in kilograms will be very carefully calculated to approach the feeling of pulling Gs without becoming overwhelming for the driver. Although the motion simulator is moving, it is not moving in a forward motion, therefore the amount of sustained Gs in a real F1 car would not be realistic if transferred 1:1 into the motion chassis seat.
G-Seat Technical Aspects:
Brushless self-designed servo motors and accompanying electronics driving 16 actuators in the seat, with an additional four actuators installed in the six point OMP race harness. These actuators are placed at strategic points around the race seat, encompassing the driver’s upper legs and torso. The forces that will be exerted on the driver’s upper legs will range form 0 to 20 kilograms, with the torso receiving 0 to 40 kilograms. All this equates to four to five Gs longitudinally and three to four Gs laterally!
Couple the G-Seat with the specially designed and constructed OMP self-tensioning race harness and the immersion factor should be through the roof! I can imagine that it won’t be for everyone, but to approach the forces an F1 driver experiences during a race would be at the top of many a sim racer’s wish-list.
Although the approach is not completely new, the incorporation of this technology into a simulator of this type is! This type of force will now advance the idea even further and could one day find its way into other types of simulators and sim racing equipment. I am certainly looking forward to trying this new technology once Evotek makes it available for use!
