KIT724 Virtual and Mixed Reality Technology

Elevator pitch

This is a vr application for a school museum based on unity development. In the app scene you can interact with objects using the grabbing and colour changing skills. This app enables the user to have a sound immersive experience compared to the previous web viewing.

Description of the application 

Application does

Based on the duality of the virtual interface, the application I have designed is an interactive school museum. Technically, it simulates a library of books and rare collections, with a large number of antique books around the room and two ceramics in the middle. From an empirical point of view, the entire room can be seen through the virtual interface by wearing the Oculus headset and it is possible to walk around the room itself, while the ceramics can be interacted with, for example by grabbing them and using a joystick.

Significance of application

Designing this museum can help people to visit exhibits remotely. This reduces the number of people gathering, especially now that it is during an epidemic. And most importantly it solves the problem that, in real situations, museum exhibits cannot be touched. The environment has been built with books around it, taking into account that the user group is likely to be mostly students. This reduces the sense of strangeness between the user and the scene, and all the exhibits are not placed in glass display cases, which makes them easier to grab. The gripping intensity is adjusted to a larger range, which makes it easier for users to grip.

Significance of the interface technology (VR ） 

The limitation of previous interfaces was that interaction with objects was only possible via the mouse. And the scale (size) of the object could only fit the computer screen being viewed, not the actual scale of the object.

With the use of vr technology, the objects can be set up so that they are shown in their actual scale. It is also possible to interact with the object, making it a much richer experience for the user. Rather than just viewing a high definition picture.

In summary, vr interface technology's are necessary in this application.

Interaction Design

Interaction(s) needs

Usually web museums and physical museums do not allow interaction with the exhibits, the user can only watch because the exhibits on display are very valuable. However, in this application, a grabbing, colour-changing feature has been added. These features allow the user to get a greater understanding of the exhibits. And through interaction, the act of looking at the exhibits is made fun. It gives the user a deeper impression.

storyboard 

Active interaction 

Upon entering the scene, one can walk around the scene and the user can see different vases on the left and right, one of which, when walked into by the user, can be grabbed. The other vase changes the colour of the object when touched by the user. These interactions add to the user's enjoyment when viewing the exhibition and make it a more realistic experience.          

Technical Development

Specific interface technology

The main techniques involved in this operation are as follows. Firstly, the application is built on unity using the computer c language. Importing all the footage and scenes and adding interactive effects to the interactive objects, followed by implementing the application on the Oculus interface device and interacting with the objects using the included joystick.

How to engage with available interaction(s)

In the scene, you can use both hands to interact with the vases in the scene, including grabbing the vase and changing the colour when you touch it

Descriptions of 3D Models 

Objects

The first vase allows the user to make a grab.

The second vase changes colour when touched by the user.

References

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/free-medieval-room-131004

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/historic/greek-temple-vase...