VIRTUAL REALITY for Architecture Research and development of virtual reality for architectural design purpose. VOLUME 1 Draft
Contents Muhammad Zharif Rafiq Bin Rozlan s3309488 Practice Reasearch Placement, RMIT Masters Electives
0__ Introduction
0.a__Research Question + Background
0.b__Research Structure
1__ PART 1 : Context
1.a__Architectural Workflow
1.b__Virtuality Continuum
1.c__Immersive Level
2__ PART 2 : Compatibility
2.a__Virtual Reality Infrastructure
2.b__Software + Device Research
2.c__Inter-platform Communications
2.d__Unreal Engine
3__ PART 3 : Workflow
3.a__System Setup
3.b__Project Setup + Testing
4__ PART 4 : Developemt
4.a__Input Devices and User Interfaces
4.b__ARM Architects Virtual Experiment
4.c__Area of improvement
5__PART 5 : Implications
0__ Introduction Virtual reality (VR) is a computer technology that uses softwaregenerated realistic images, sounds and other sensations to replicate a real environment or an imaginary setting, and simulates a user’s physical presence in this environment to enable the user to interact with this space. A person using virtual reality equipment is typically able to “look around� the artificial world, move about in it and interact with features or items that are depicted. Virtual realities artificially create sensory experiences, which can include sight, touch, hearing, and, less commonly, smell. Most 2016-era virtual realities are displayed either on a computer monitor, a projector
screen, or with a virtual reality headset (also called head-mounted display or HMD). HMDs typically take the form of head-mounted goggles with a screen in front of the eyes. Some simulations include additional sensory information and provide sounds through speakers or headphones. VR has redefine the way we interact with the virtual world. Most commonly use in the gaming industry that allows players to fully experience the game. This research is focussing on the application VR for the built environment. In particular for the creator of the environment such as architects and the end-user of the environment such as homeowners
or developers. Investigating the possibilities and limitations of using this method within the architectural workflow and representation. This research will also attempt to provide a manual for future application in architecture.
Revolution of the augmented allows a form of immersion where it would shift the paradigm of the representation of architecture. Allowing not just a visualisation process but hopefully a more immersive process of making architecture in the future. Where realness would mingle with the unreal.
Research Question. Can the architectural world benefit from the virtual industry? What is the limitation of Virtual Reality to an architect? What is the best workflow for architect in virtual reality?
0.a__Research Question + Background The three main research question that are interrelated between each other is; 1. Can we as architects benefit from the virtual industry? If we can then; 2. What is the potential and limitation of Virtual Reality to an architect? If so; 3. What is the best workflow for architects to impliment virtual reality?
This research is a continuation look like? How will you experience from the previous two semester the process? How can we make it research into virtual reality. The first practical for an architect? prior research focuses on making virtual reality as real as possible. This means a high quality render but low portability due to high hardware and software use. The second prior research focuses on making virtual reality a realistic use in workflow that involves limited hardware and software as well as efficient production process. This means a lower quality but higher portability. My research focuses on the interactive component of virtual reality as well as practicallity of the whole technology. How can we create or change stuff in the virtual world? How will the interface
0.b__Research Structure To organize this whole research, I structure them into 5 parts, • Part 1-Context Focus on the relationship of virtual reality, real world, architecture and the rest of the world. • Part 2-Compatibility Focus on the whole virtual reality ecosystem. Covering types of technology available and their compatibility • Part 3-Workflow Focus on the possible best practice workflow that can be add into the existing architectural workflow. • Part 4-Development Focus on the actual production, and testing of the virtual reality workflow. Documentation of the process. • Part 5-Implications Projecting the possible use of the technology in architecture. The pros and cons of virtual reality for architects.
1__ PART 1: Context To start understand virtual reality world for architecture I believe it important to understand the context for this technology to work with. The contexts are the architectural workflow, the relationship of virtual world to the real world and the level of immersiveness. The level of immersiveness is a fundamental structure of this whole research as different level of immersion requires different type of input variables. This means that certain workflow will have a significant effect on the outcome of the architectural virtuality.
1.a__Architectural Workflow Architects has always been improving the way we produce our work. From manual drawing and sketching to model making and finally computer aided design. We continue to practice each of these method for their respective advantage. Drawing by hand allows architects to be more intuitive in their design as it is the most natural way of expressing ideas, model making create the experiences of understanding space and computer aided design allows us to produce a high precision outcome. Virtual reality would allow architects to exercise these aspects as it could allow the architect to design intuitively with precision in the virtual world while experiencing the spatial quality.
Intuitive
Manual Draw and Sketching
Experiential
Model Making
Precision
Computer Aided
1.b__Immersive Level The virtuality continuum encapsulated the relationship between the real world and the virtual world. First level started from a real tangible environment where we physically interact with the computer. Second are a mixed reality applications where we either add reality into the virtual (Augmented Virtuality) or add virtual into the reality (Augmented Reality). Finally, virtual reality is a full utilization of the virtual world. This put in perspective of architecture in relation to the virtual technology on which type of virtuality would be more suitable for practice.
VIRTUALITY CONTINUUM Real Environment
Mixed Reality (MR)
Virtual Environment
Tangible User Interfaces (TUI)
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented Virtuality (AV)
Virtual Reality (VR)
A TUI uses real physical objects to both represent and interact with computer generated information
AR adds computer generated information to the real world
AV adds real information to a computer generated environemnt
VR completely computer generated environments
Using physical objects to interact with the virtual world. When an object is move, the computer will response to the changes.
‘See-Through’ AR Using camera and display to project a computer generated object into the real world
Spatial AR Displays project computer generated information directly into the real world
Bringing the physical object into the virtual world
Semi-immersive VR Display fills a limited area of a user’s field-of-view
Immersive VR Completely allowing the user to interact with the virtual world
1.c__Immersive Level Immersive level focuses more on the degree interaction of the subject with the virtual world. A low immersive level such as being able to look around the environment would be a simple task of preparing a 360 images around the subject. A higher immersive level that allow the user to change the color or walk around the environment will be a more intricate task of preparing the 3D world and setting up the interaction gesture of the subject. Immersive level depends on the softwares and devices used because of the ability of each of these software and devices to provide the quality of the user experience.
Interactivity
Immersive Level
Interactive Mobile
Mobile
Interactive Static
Static
User can move around the 3D world and alter the environment and objects
User can spectate and move around the 3D world
User can alter the environment and objects in a limited environment
User can spectate the environment and objects in a limited environment
2__ PART 2 : Compatibility Architecture has always been a group or multiple parties involvement in a single project. Virtual reality is exactly the same situation, it involve various communication between softwares, devices, architects and client. It is easier if we structure them into two categories (creator and user) to assist in planning our virtual reality project. A creator can be the architect, interior designer or a landscape planner. They are responsible in creating the virtual environment. A user is the participant of the environment created by the creator such as the client, developer or home-owner. It is important to consider these relationship so that we could plan on how to produce, what kind of interaction, what kind of environment to create into what kind of experience, immersion the user will have?
2.a__Virtual Reality Infrastructure Underneath this relationship is the whole virtual reality infrastructure. On the creator side, involve understanding what software to use to create the environment while on the user side is understanding what type of devices available and how does it work. Understanding these two side will relfect in the workflows.
Part 2 - Compatibility Creator
User
mobile
head mount display (HMD) tethered
software
motion simulator
vr infrastructure
controllers haptics technology
user input omnidirection threadmill hand-tracking eye-tracking
etc...
VR Infrastructure
2.b__User Softwares Software play an important role in a workflow. There has been various kind of software that help architects from drafting to visualization. They have their respective specialty that can be group into several categories. For example, the Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign are specialized in graphical and publication editting. Sketchup, Rhinoceros 3D, 3Ds Max, and Revit focus on 2D drafting and 3D modelling. Finally, Vray or Octane are specialized for rendering and video production. Bringing Virtual Reality into the workflow means bringing a whole new group of software typology. Game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity is neccessary because it brings the interactive element into the project.
Graphic Design
2D Drafting + 3D Modelling
Rendering & Video
Game Engine
Graphic Design
2D Drafting + 3D Modelling
Rendering & Video
Game Engine
Still Images Production and Editting
Precise Representation Production
Visual Representation Editting
Interactive Visual Representation
2.b__User Devices The user devices can range from different type to different model of the type. As this research is about virtual reality, the Head Mount Display will be the primary type of devices. Thus research looks into various type of head mount display and their advantages and disadvantages. This project will also focuses on making it a more practical applications for client use. This means a mobile or portable output will be the main end-product device.
Desktop Monitor
Laptop Monitor
Tethered Head Mount Display
Mobile Head Mount Display
Mobile Tablet
Mobile Phone
Tethered Head Mount Device
Mobile Head Mount Device
2.c__Inter-platform Communications Inter-platform communications highlights the internal communications between all of the parties involve to creating a virtual rality project. This will affect the compatibility between the creator software (environement) and the users devices (experiences). This involve understanding the creator operating system (windows, macintosh linux) and the user operating system (iOS or Android). Then combined with the creator software and user devices informations, there lies the interplatform communications medium that would allows each of these parties to talk to each other. Hence, create a specific compatible project. Following (bottom left image), is the research area that I am covering, and (next page diagram) how the whole system work.
2.d__Unreal Engine Fragmentations Unreal Engine is the chosen software to explore this virtual reality in architecture as its is a free and open sources software. It is one of the game engine software that allows creator to create an interactive project. However, the drawbacks of using this software is that it is still a developing software and they are very fragmented. Fragmented in a way that some workflow technique will not work in a different version of the software while. This discourage non-tech savvy architectt to explore virtual reality.
3__ PART 3 : Workflow Workflow explore the steps need to make from A to B in order to create a virtual reality project. This will involve the installation process, setting up the environment of the system and setting up the project itself.
3.a__System Setup__Visual Studio Visual Studio allows the communication between Unreal Engine and Windows operating system. This mean that a project can be package or publish as a Windows software. This is not neccessarily needed to produce a Virtual Reality project, but having this would allow the creator to test the project in a easy destop display screen. However, having a Windows application encourage the project to be share to users that don’t have access to virtual reality HMD. Following are the installation process for Visual Studio.
1
Download
2
Installation
1
Download
3.a__System Setup__Codeworks Codeworks for Android allows communication between Unreal Engine and an Android operating system devices. This is a compiled application that will install all the neccessary setup to work with Android devices. It is an all in one installer for Android software development kit. It will install Tegra software and all the important system environment to allow the communications.
2
Installation
1 File Explorer Location
3.a__System Setup__Tegra An alternative method of setting up the system environment is to install the neccessary software individually. This would occur in some case of the older versions of Unreal Engine. Tegra will translate the project that was build in a desktop high graphic capacity into a smaller portable limited graphics. This is neccessary to allow the virtual reality to be experience on a portable mobile phone that use an Android operating system. The installer is included in the existing installation Unreal Engine folder.
2
Installation
1
Download
3.a__System Setup__Android Studio Android Studio is also an alternative individual installion needed if the Codeworks doesnt work. This will download and install all the neccessary Software Development Kit for Android.
2
Installation
1
Location
3.a__System Setup__Android Devices To allow devices to install and play the virtual reality project, it needed to be set as a developer mode. This process will express the workflow to enable the developer mode for most Android devices.
Note! If the devices could not be read by the computer through a USB cable, you will need to install OEM USB drivers as well. https://developer.android.com/ studio/run/oem-usb.html
2 Developer Mode Enabling
3.b__Project Setup_Unreal Engine 4 Unreal Engine offers a various template to start an interactive project. However not all of the template are suitable for Virtual Reality. Here I have outline the best setup to choose for any specific final outcome.
3.b__Project Testing Another part of the workflow process involve testing the outcome of the project along the process of producing the project. It is neccessary to experience the virtual reality as a creator to predict what will the user experience.
4__ PART 4 : Development The development component of this research is similar to PART 2 : Compatibility component but more focus on the area where there would be possibilities for creator to explore further into Virtual Reality. While compatibility involve using existing platform to create a virtual reality project, this part encourage creator other means interact within a Virtual Reality environment. Interaction involve two main questions; 1. How to interact with an object/ subject? 2. What will occur or happen after the interaction? Thus, this translate into a relationship between the Input Devices and the User Interfaces. The input devices can be a computer mouse, a keyboard or a joystick, while the user interfaces can be a button, slider or a toggle. It comes in various shape and size, hence allows different type of interaction to occurs. This is the area where creator such as Architect can explore that would be benificial.
There’s diverse range of input devices ranging from a controller to a wearable input devices. I think the more suitable input devices would be an additional controller or a hand tracking technology to control the project environment.
These are some of the common interaction relationship that utilise the screen display or a mobile display.
Virtual Reality can utilise the existing input devices and interfaces to create an interaction as well as offer something new to be interactive as it is no longer limited onto a flat screen display. In Virtual reality, allows user to use their 3D space to as their workspace.
4.b__ARM Architects Virtual Experiment There is a whole area of research can be done to understand the user interfaces for architects. What kind of interaction that suits an architect in a virtual reality? How does an architect utilise virtual reality to create a project in the best way? This is an area for future research practice could cover. For my current research practice, I’ve experiment at ARM architects to create a simple interaction project that would allow the user to change design, material and jump between scenes. This invites a better interaction from the user as they experience the project rather than just looking through a flat screen. Limited access to any external devices, I focus on the existing touch input available on the Samsung Gear VR as to interact with the Virtual Project.
4.c__Area for improvement There are a whole lot more to improve this virtual reality research to reach a point where architect it is applicable in their workflow. Theres possibilities to improve compatibility where architects are not limted to just several devices, where different client that uses different devices can communicate a project better. Better workflow will definitely encourage virtual reality to be more usefull and important in an architect project. It could also improve efficiency of a project as it allows the architect and client to be more involves. The development of the input devices and user interfaces would be the main area of improvement that can offer architects and client to interact more within a virtual reality environment.
5__ PART 5 : Implications What is the implications of Virtual Reality? Why do architects should explore virtual reality? Why is it important? My point of view is that virtual reality are another tool similar any other software such as Rhinoceros 3D, V-ray, and Revit. These tools help to improve architecture in their specific ways. For example Rhino allow architects to explore better form, V-ray allows architects to visualize their work better while revit improve the intergation of their project from design to construction. Virtual reality offers better communication between the project, the creator and the user. It offers individual customizability, design feedback in real world simulations, construction training and low cost implimentation as project can be view and experience before even built, virtual discussion and presentation, freedom in virtual design, or simply better workspace environment. A better work space area would increase 40% productivity as the worker are happier working in it. All of these are some of the benifits
of virtual reality in architecture. Allowing this workflow to add into our existing architectural workflow would improve our efficiency in a project development. There are already several construction management implimenting virtual reality in their workflow. It is just a matter of time when architecture will mainly use virtual reality as their main tool.
Customizable individual experience
Construction training and low cost implimentation
Design feedback in real world simulations
Virtual discussion and presentation
Real time and real space represntation
Portable discussion environment
Portable discussion environment
Portable discussion environment
Freedom of design
Freedom of form exploration
Productive working space
Improvement of productivity
The End