Virtual reality in service of design

Our interest in virtual reality is not new. A few years ago, we worked in close collaboration with the VRVANA team to design the TOTEM headset. Then, with the launch of the first commercial versions of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, we explored various usage possibilities in order to improve our design and engineering processes.

It is therefore with great enthusiasm that we announce the creation of a dedicated VR room in our offices. Not only will this room allow us to preview our product concepts quickly in an immersive environment, but we will also be able employ mixed reality (MR) to our advantage for large-scale projects, particularly in transportation design.


PROTOTYPING AND MIXED REALITY

We are now able to spatially synchronize a physical model with its corresponding 3D model at a 1:1 scale. Integrating the physical prototyping workshop and the VR room under the same roof makes this process fast enough to be used throughout the agile design, testing and learning stages!

We all know that creating prototypes that are true to the intention of the design requires significant effort. Our prototyping workshop has the capacity to produce models with flawless precision and attention to detail, but the process remains long and complex. The more faithful the desired prototype is, the more production time will increase and, by default, the costs as well.




Mixed reality simplifies and accelerates this essential step and makes it more cost-effective. The physical model is deliberately simplified, which reduces costs, and designing and iterating a detailed 3D model takes much less time and offers more flexibility. More ideas and concepts can be tested out in less time.

Projected into a virtual universe, we can now see, touch, and feel the environment with the aim of testing dimensions, volume, access and interaction space. It is also possible to approve the choices of material and finish, and even modify them in real time in order to compare options quickly and efficiently.

This tool is quickly becoming essential to ensure the efficient, agile, and innovative development of projects as diverse as train interiors, medical equipment for operating rooms and large Industry 4.0 machinery. We expect that as technology evolves, the possibilities for integration into the design and engineering process will only multiply! Stay tuned!