Hi, this is an update on 2015-01-28. Now, finally, anyone of you can download a DK2 PC-version of the Virtual Reality representation of the passive house we are working on as a simple archviz application.
I'd like to share some screenshots from a project we've been working on for quite some time. In this specific project we are using the DK2 and various software to explore the use of VR as aid in the design process of a house that currently only exists on the drawing board. It will be built this summer in the south of Sweden. As a designer we've built the whole house from scratch and as a user we are able to walk around and experience the furniture, kitchen layout, bedroom layout and so on. Various different house configurations have been iterated over the months, what you see here is something that most likely will be the final solution (colors excluded).
Technically we are pushing for full 75 FPS on a PC (e.g. Geforce 700+). We have yet to create builds for the Smartphone HMD's. We are using binaural sound. Everything is modeled in natural scale to allow visual correlation and to reference against actual objects and to give way for full 1-to-1 natural freedom of movement in the virtual world later on.
Start screen: 2015-01-09 OculusVR Showcase 1.jpg
Here is a Youtube-clip showing how it could work experiencing a setting like this, either as a visitor or maybe as a customer. It is designed for a headset so remember to grab a good one and put it on before you roll!
Another Youtube-clip, this time showing how hand interaction can be used with this kind of application. Again, headset.. (Sorry, this one is quite long):
Laundry room design as seen from the DK2: 2015-01-09 OculusVR Showcase 3.jpg
We are using the DK2 to get an impression of spatial awareness, to get a sense of scale for physical objects and rooms and to iterate different interior and exterior design alternatives together with house constructors. We find that tool-set has helped eliminating disadvantages with narrow regions and corridors, finding good open spaces and to be used for rapid real time iterations around layout concepts. Obvious construction/architect flaws have also been spotted and would not have been discovered on the normal 2D-drawings. It required 3D to become apparent.
Kitchen design in PC-view-mode: 2015-01-09 OculusVR Showcase 2.jpg
Lately we've added subtle 3D binaural audio queues and find that the combination and correlation of "eye- and ear-tracking" really gives an added sense of presence. I did not think that it would be that interesting to walk around and lean towards the washing machine until now in VR. We expect that finding subtle audio queues that blend in the virtual world will be highly important in e.g. these types of future architectural design exploration tools.
We expect to release an Alpha demo in the coming weeks for you guys to play with. Stay tuned! Peter Thor
Hi, this is an update on 2015-01-28. Now, finally, anyone of you can download a DK2 PC-version of the Virtual Reality representation of the passive house we are working on as a simple archviz application.