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VR

Reel Pictures VR Melbourne - VR CAD Model Viewer

Reel Pictures VR Diary Ep04 – VR CAD Model Viewer

By Personal Projects, Virtual RealityNo Comments

Our 4th VR Diary video is an overview of our “VR CAD Model Viewer”. This app allows you to view and interact with CAD data in Virtual Reality. The models sit on a virtual tabletop at user-specified scale. You can view these scale models from any angle and isolate specific areas. The user can explore key areas of the model in a 1:1 real-world scale.

We think it will be incredible useful for Architects, Industrial Designers and anyone who would want to use Virtual Reality for their Rapid Prototyping!

In this video, this VR app is in its early stages. In our future videos we will show some of the progress we’ve been making as well as some other examples where it could be useful in rapid prototyping for products and in industrial design applications.

The model featured in this video was Designed By Melbourne-based Architect Paul Evans. It is part of a submission to the Royal Society of Victoria by Paul Evans, Nigel Westbrook and Michael Wentworth-Bell.

At the moment, the process of preparing the model for VR is not automated – we are preparing the model in 3ds Max before sending it to Unreal.

We are in the process of automating as many of the processes as possible:

  • Generating Lightmap UVs
  • Creating adequate Collisions based on Floors, walls and ceiling
  • Assigning Unreal Shaders based on object name, layer name or existing material name
  • Placing key teleport points based on locations placed in Revit
  • Placement of Sun based on Geo Location set in Revit
  • Tagging of Doors, Glass and individual floors to allow users to isolate / toggle visibility

Depending on the complexity of the scene, Optimization of the resulting meshes is required. With some prep, The few test scenes we have worked with so far have maintained a stable 90fps in the headset on standard hardware.

There are a few solutions available for viewing CAD data in VR that are completely automated. Ours is not completely automated yet, but we are translating our experience in Arch-Vis into realtime VR, and can create projects that are a lot more specialised in their use – adding specific functionality per project.

This is a very popular and exciting use-case for VR tech and one I can see many CG studios being a part of!

October 19, 2016
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Virtual Reality Rapid Prototyping Tool - Reel Pictures VR

Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Experiences

By Current Projects, Software, Virtual Reality, What I'm Working on (WIWO)No Comments

I’ve been working on a few different Virtual Reality “Demos” over the past few months at Reel Pictures. This post outlines the different VR demos we have been working on.

Inspired by the fantastic “Job Simulator” app, I’ve made a Virtual “cartridge” for each of the demos. People can put on the VR headset, literally pick up the cartridge they like, inspect it from any angle and then place it into our cartridge loader to begin the “Experience”.

All demos are currently in alpha so re-writable prototype carts are being used – haha. They will have proper label art closer to release.

[image title=”Virtual Reality Landscape Demo – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_01.jpg [/image]

(Above) This is what the front of the cartridges look like – very much inspired by the classic NES Cartridges. It was modelled in 3DS Max and textured in Substance Painter. This demo is a collection of “Landscape Tests” – large environments that can be explored in Virtual Reality.

[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Cartridge Rear – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_03.jpg [/image]

(Above) This is the rear of the cartridges – the label is inspired by the sticker on the back of Nintendo 64 cartridges.

[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Virtual Reality Rapid Prototyping Tool – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_02.jpg [/image]

(Above) This is the first VR demo I have began working on – a tool to view CAD models in a real-world scale in Virtual Reality – a VR Rapid Prototyping tool. This is one of the best use-cases for Virtual Reality at the current time (July 2016), in my opinion.

[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Virtual Reality Tabletop CAD Viewer – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_04.jpg [/image]

(Above) This demo is a tabletop CAD model viewer. It allows you to view large CAD models (such as apartment blocks) in Virtual Reality. They are viewed at scale – as if they are sitting on a table in-front of you. The user will eventually be able to “switch” between a scaled table-top model and a real-world scale model at will, change the time of day, view multiple versions of the same building on top of each other – for comparison, and much more. This is another fun demo that is the most developed.

[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Museum of the Hoddle Grid – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_05.jpg [/image]

(Above) This is the first VR demo I ever developed, a project that began in mid 2015. It is a Virtual Reality walkthrough of the “Museum of the Hoddle Grid” – a proposal by Paul Evans, Nigel Westbrook and myself to the Royal Society of Victoria. The Museum of the Hoddle Grid is pitched as as a museum dedicated to the history of the “Melbourne Grid” – the network of streets designed by Robert Hoddle. It will feature the world’s first Mixed Reality Exhibition space – where all the exhibits exist as digital holograms that interact with the physical environment around you. Since this was my first VR demo, its cartridge is gold! The main demo is an interactive walkthrough of the 1st-floor exhibition space. Another component of this VR demo is a scaled version of the entire building that you can view from any angle.

[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Akagi Aircraft Carrier VR – Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Demo” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_06.jpg [/image]

(Above) This is a Virtual Reality demo we are aiming to show museum directors, galleries and event management companies. The participant puts on their VR headset and appears on the 260m deck of the Akagi Aircraft carrier stationed in the middle of the ocean. Utilizing the VR motion controllers, they can use their hands to ‘pick apart’ a Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane that sits on the deck – picking up each of the aircraft panels one by one. They can also sit inside the cockpit of the plane!

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Find out more

In the coming weeks I am going to be recording and sharing some videos of these VR Demos in action. If you are interested in trying out any of these demos, or chatting more about Virtual Reality, get in touch via my contact page or the Reel Pictures contact page.

July 18, 2016
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Michael Wentworth-Bell Virtual Reality

I got a HTC Vive!

By Inspiration, Virtual RealityNo Comments

My HTC Vive finally arrived, couldn’t be more excited! So far, I’ve only had 2 days to try out the HTC Vive with Alf and Mal but already i’m totally blown away.

[image title=”Michael Wentworth-Bell – HTC Vive VR Headset” width=”544″ height=”816″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-06-09_HTC_Vive_Michael_Wentworth-Bell.jpg [/image]

If you get the opportunity to try it out you absolutely have to. I have previously tried heaps of different Google Cardboard, GearVR and Oculus DK2 experiences, and spent 2 months working on a DK2 demo. You can’t explain how cool it is to try Room-scale VR, where you can walk around freely, and see your hands, without trying it yourself. Can’t imagine how awesome VR will be in 3 years!

 

 

June 16, 2016
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Virtual Reality Presentation Reel Pictures

Virtual Reality Demo for the Royal Society of Victoria

By Current Projects, Virtual Reality, What I'm Working on (WIWO)No Comments
[image title=”Museum of the Hoddle Grid Presentation at the Royal Society of Victoria” width=”544″ height=”408″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-06-09_Virtual_Reality_Presentation_Reel_Pictures_FeaturedIMG.jpg [/image]

Tonight was the big night! I did a VR presentation to the Royal Society of Victoria with Paul Evans, Alf Kuhlmann and Ivy Tseung. The VR component was nearly 2 months in the making with 2 audience practice runs beforehand. It was really, really fun and we learnt a lot along the way!

We presented our idea of a “Museum of the Hoddle Grid” – envisioned by Paul Evans and Nigel Westbrook as a 3 story high multi-use building with a dedicated Mixed Reality exhibition space. This would be the 1 location dedicated to the history of Melbourne, Robert Hoddle and his Hoddle Grid.

Fingers crossed this proposal will eventually become a reality!

 

June 9, 2016
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Reel Pictures VR Presentation

Reel Pictures VR Presentation at NH Architecture

By Current Projects, Virtual Reality, What I'm Working on (WIWO)No Comments

I recently presented my first VR Demo to an audience of Architects with the help of Melbourne based Architect Paul Evans, Reel Pictures Studio Director Alf Kuhlmann and my wife Ivy.

The demo is a Virtual Reality walkthrough for a new 3 story building proposal for the Royal Society of Victoria. This proposal is a collaboration with myself and Architects Paul Evans and Nigel Westbrook.

The 1st floor of this building houses the world’s first dedicated Mixed Reality Museum exhibition space. This is an exhibition dedicated the Hoddle Grid – the backbone of Melbourne.

It’s taken me 6 weeks to develop this very first VR experience. It allows the participant to walk around inside the proposed “Museum of the Hoddle Grid” exhibition area and get an idea of what the holographic virtual exhibits would be like.

We presented this demo to NH Architecture in Melbourne. Next week, we will give the same presentation to the Royal Society of Victoria. It has been a lot of fun (and a lot of late nights) putting it together. Thanks to my family and friends who gave it a test run and supplied some great feedback!

June 3, 2016
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