Affordable Pneumatic VR Motion Platform for School-Level Immersive Learning: Design, Analysis, and Validation

This study introduces an innovative, economical, linkage-free 3-DOF pneumatic VR motion chair specifically engineered for educational institutions and resource-constrained learning settings. As it requires intricate Stewart mechanisms, expensive servo-hydraulic systems, or machined metal linkages, most schools can't afford traditional motion platforms. We solve this problem by making something that is straightforward to create and has a simple design. There are three air springs that are 120° apart, and the foundation is made of wood. This arrangement allows the pitch, roll, and heave to happen smoothly without the need for bearings, sliders, or joints. This saves money and time on maintenance. A complete structural and dynamic check was done to make sure the platform was safe and worked effectively. The results show that the stresses on the bolts are still much below the 640 MPa yield limit, even at a 30° angle. The plywood bearing stresses are also within permissible limits because of the steel reinforcement plates and 50-mm hardened washers. Air-spring characterisation shows that the springs respond quickly (40–70 ms), have a useable stroke of about 100 mm, and can hold 400–600 kg, which shows that they are good for usage in a classroom. Experimental motion testing confirms consistent behaviour and high damping, making motion signals that are very similar to VR visual material. The proposed design is a cheap, safe, and sturdy way to make STEM instruction more interactive. This platform greatly improves engagement and learning retention by letting students actually feel things like changes in gravity, inertia, slopes, and vehicle dynamics. This is the first time that a 3-air-spring, linkage-free pneumatic VR motion chair has been published. It sets a new standard for making motion simulation technologies more accessible for learning.