Mr James Bassitt

In his role as Senior Experimental Officer for VSimulators at the University of Exeter, James Bassitt is responsible for implementing the ideas of academic researchers and commercial partners for using the facility. His current role entails maintenance of the platform, developing software for researchers to create bespoke motion environments, supporting grant applications for non-engineering areas, pilot data tests, managing the servers and VR equipment, and running and designing experiments for students.

James helped design the VSimulators facility and the building in which it is housed, getting involved in the initial concept, final commissioning and site acceptance testing of the equipment and building. This entailed complicated design of high-precision equipment and facility installation requiring a high degree of project management and liaison with multiple suppliers.

While managing the state-of-the-art Structures Lab for the University, James was involved in student projects and research fieldwork, including designing monitoring systems, hardware, software and enclosures, 3D printing, mechanical engineering and fabrication. The team’s many research projects have given him the chance to travel all over the world. For one such project, he designed and built a system, which was unique in the world for synchronised measurement across large span structures without the use of wired connections. This saw him carry out testing on the Jiangyin Bridge in China and the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo.

James has also worked on a project monitoring the structural health of offshore rock-mounted lighthouses during which he got the chance to work offshore, which required him to carry out helicopter water survival and escape training.

Before joining the University, James worked for a diagnostic software supplier to the automotive industry, then for Bentley, developing electronic solutions for the production line, then as a contractor to Jaguar Landrover for the launch of Freelander 2.

Publications (in progress)

Pavic, A, Zhang X, Bocian M, Bassitt J M, Bouncy Bridge. Perception of vibrations by walking
humans. In preparation for journal of Sound and Vibration

Hester D, Brownjohn JMW, Xu, Y, Bocian M, Recovering bridge displacements using
accelerometers; lab and field tests. In preparation for Journal of Civil Structural Health Monitoring