Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies in the Engineering Process - By Taylor Waddell
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Technologies in the Engineering
Process
By Taylor Waddell
About me.
- I Attend University of Wisconsin Madison.
- I am a double major in Mechanical Engineering and Computer
Science.
- My Pathways rotation in ITC-1 Augmented/Virtual Reality Lab.
- I will graduate in May 2021
- My primary Focuses have been Robotics, Additive Manufacturing
and Extended Reality (XR)
- My biggest hobby is making/hacking
Basic Definition of XR.
Virtual Reality Augmented Mixed Reality
(VR) Reality (AR) (MR)
Virtual Reality Augmented Reality Mixed Reality is the
completey replaces overlays objects merging of real
real world into real world and virtual worlds
enivronments. environments. to produce new
environments and
visualizations.
Common Misconceptions.
01.
Its too
02.
Its not
03.
It will make me
expensive. accurate. sick.
A entry level The HTC Vive Most headsets
engineering stand- headset has basic refresh at a higher
alone VR Headset can tracking accuracy rate than any eye
cost as little as $350 of .3mm can detect
04. 05.
There’s not a large Its only for
market. gaming.
This year VR had a This technology has been widely
consumer $9.6B adopted by the Military,
Market cap. By Commercial Aerospace, and
2022 it is predicted workplace training organizations
It’s based on physics, and simulation. Our core XR program is called Unity. And it entirely revolves around physics and simulation. Within Unity you can simulate properties as simple as drag or as complex as springs, friction, and more. All of these features allows for development of complex XR simulations.
01. Why we need XR in the Engineering Industry
Saving money & time. Technicians working on the Orion capsule used AR to assist them in installation, this speed up installation tasks that normally took 12 days to 1 day. Full-scale habitat mockups at MSFC take weeks or months to manufacture. With VR a model it takes minutes to set up while saving the entire material needed to build the mockup.
Doing what physical mockups cannot. Models and simulations can be directly updated when CAD models are updated in as little as seconds. Environments can be put under unique virtual simulations such as zero gravity. Users can move, edit and analyze models in ways that would normally be impossible, this includes movement, editing, interaction data, and more.
Getting the future workfoce excited. Simply put, technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality excite the incoming workforce. Integrating XR into the workplace will invigorate employees, while increasing efficiency and decreasing spending.
02. Using the Rapid Model Import Tool (RMIT) for Engineering Models
The basics of models. Not all 3D models are the same. CAD models are based on points and geometric constraints. Models used in XR development are based on polygons and meshes. This difference can lead to a lot of messy conflict between CAD and XR. A simulation program has to load each polygon in a mesh and compute any updates. The higher the polygon count, the lower quality of your program. This leads developers to find a balance between model quality
Where RMIT comes in.
Complex
Polygon Reduced XR Ready
model Polygon Model in Unity
CAD Model model
RMIT First takes Our model is
a normal CAD The next part of finally ready for
file such as .prt RMIT is to use XR use, the last
or .asm and various step is a linkage
converts it into functions to find between RMIT
a workable the balance of and Unity that
polygon model. quality vs allows us to
complexity. view our Models
in the XR realm.What it can do. RMIT is capable of processing models in 4 different modes. Default mode launches the control window. This allows for precise editing of the model using the following features seen on the right. Headless mode processes the model in the background. Batch file mode allows for processing multiple files at once. Scripting mode allows for custom scripting on how to process the model. Currently RMIT can support the following file types: fbx, dae, obj, gltf, stl, ply, asm, prt, sat, x_t, mdl, c4d, jt, iges, ifc,
My role & milestones
reached.
Milestones reached: My role:
• RMIT was successfully accepted into • I updated RMIT with core new
the NASA software catalog features, testing procedures, and
standard code upgrades
• A secondary RMIT Heavy was
developed • I created the entire RMIT heavy
suite, which allows for new
• The program was delivered to workflows, working with extended
various centers around the agency model types, and more.
for use
• Overhauled much of the old RMIT
code to be more concise, efficient
and documented.03. Creating a Multi-User Model Review Program An Intuitive and Realstic Model Review Experience
The Planned Core features of the
prorgram.
• Multiuser integration allowing you
to review models in a 3D
environment with your co-workers
from multiple remote locations.
• CAD Model support that will allow
for direct loading of your CAD
models into the program.
• Complete integration with models,
allowing to move, scale, mark your
models and more.
• Various design review tools for
communicating and evaluating such
as highlighting, note taking and
voice recording.
• Support for more than VR, allowing
to join with a phone and desktop.Current progress.
● 3 different centers are
• Basic multiuser implementation contributing to the project
is complete, allowing a user to (KSC,MSFC,JSC), with
move, talk and edit models more expected to join.
together. ● Implementing successful
software development
• UI and Avatars are nearly done, practices such as version
allowing for a clean and precise control, agile method,
look. scrum and more.
● Most standards for the
• Direct model loading from files program have been
and folders has been created, reducing
completed. overhead and complex in
the future.My current and future
roles.
Current Role: Near Term Role:
• I am responsible for integration of • Integrating current interns work
everyone's induvial code and from KSC and MSFC into the
development. program.
• Assist with ensuring everyone’s • Automating RMIT into the program
tasks are being completed and to allow for model import.
helping if they are having any
development issues. • Implementing a update to all UI.
• I am the senior developer for the • Integrating new models and avatar
program. into the program.04. My Takeaways and Personal Development
What I learned.
Significance of work experience
on my growth.
Teleworking has I have gained
really pushed me project
to grow in time and development skills
work balance. which I will apply
to future projects.
I have refined both
my leadership and
development skills.Q/A
You can also read
