cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

MakeVR--Immersive 3D modeling by Sixense

jjerald
Honored Guest
Hello everyone. Below is an announcement from Sixense for an immersive two-handed 3D modeling system. We already have it fully integrated with the Rift.

A video is available at http://www.sixense.com/MakeVR

Here is also an article from Ben Lang of Road to VR:
http://www.roadtovr.com/2013/04/03/gdc- ... arter-4495

Jason


Sixense MakeVR is a breakthrough in creative expression across 3D media, from crafting virtual goods to be traded in online marketplaces to designing solid models for 3D printing. MakeVR eliminates traditional menus and operations, instead relying on the user’s natural gestures to manipulate objects and tools through the use of the Razer Hydra, with planned support for other 3D input devices, such as depth cameras. For the full virtual reality experience, MakeVR is also compatible with the upcoming Oculus Rift head-mounted display.

MakeVR is a creative modeling application developed by Sixense that introduces a new user interface designed specifically for interacting with 3D worlds. MakeVR is an intuitive tool that will revolutionize creative expression across 3D media, from crafting virtual goods to be traded in online marketplaces to designing solid models for 3D printing.

MakeVR eliminates traditional menus and operations, instead relying on the user’s natural gestures to manipulate objects and tools through the use of six-degree-of-freedom input devices that precisely track the movement and absolute position and orientation of both hands in three dimensions. MakeVR makes use of the Razer Hydra, and support for other 3D input devices, such as depth cameras, is planned. For the full virtual reality experience, MakeVR is also compatible with the upcoming Oculus Rift head-mounted display.

“We’ve spent years developing the ideal user interface for 3D environments and this work is embodied in MakeVR” said Amir Rubin, President and CEO of Sixense. “Now, with products like the Razer Hydra and the Oculus Rift coming to the consumer market, the timing is perfect for us to deliver a software product that can bring the experience of unbridled creativity and total immersion to everyone.”

Sixense is planning a Kickstarter campaign to fund the final stages of development of MakeVR. A preview is available now at http://www.sixense.com/MakeVR. Live demonstrations are available upon request to members of press and industry during the Game Developer Conference 2013 in San Francisco from March 27-29, 2013.

Import, create virtual goods and 3D print with MakeVR
MakeVR incorporates a powerful 3D CAD engine capable of importing models from other 3D design applications. Imported objects can be combined with the objects created in MakeVR to construct virtual 3D worlds. “I was surprised to hear that one of our developers is making hundreds of dollars each month creating and selling virtual goods in one of Valve’s popular games,” said Paul Mlyniec, Lead Developer of MakeVR. “MakeVR will be a tool that facilitates this type of creative expression.” MakeVR will also include specialized tools to prepare objects for 3D printing, such as tessellation, healing, and hollowing. MakeVR can export objects in .stl format, suitable for 3D printers.

Virtual reality with MakeVR and the Oculus Rift
The combination of MakeVR and the upcoming Oculus Rift will create a true virtual reality 3D modeling experience. The Oculus Rift’s head-mounted display with real-time head tracking and wide 110-degree field of view make it the ultimate way to experience MakeVR. Sixense has already integrated support for the Oculus Rift with MakeVR to ensure full compatibility for beta and launch. “MakeVR brings unprecedented freedom to crafting game assets and amazing simplicity to 3D computer aided design.” said Amir Rubin, CEO at Sixense. “We believe that MakeVR’s ease of use and low price point might just make it the killer app for consumer virtual reality.”
-- Jason Jerald, PhD Consultant NextGen Interactions http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjerald
61 REPLIES 61

craigotron
Honored Guest
tl dr; Click the link. Watch the video. Support the Kickstarter.

Please consider including this at the top of the post so people learn about your amazing project.

When does the Kickstarter launch. I want to make sure I support this.

Anonymous
Not applicable
"craigotron" wrote:
tl dr; Click the link. Watch the video. Support the Kickstarter.

Please consider including this at the top of the post so people learn about your amazing project.

When does the Kickstarter launch. I want to make sure I support this.


If you check out the page it gives you a link to sign up for announcements on this.

craigotron
Honored Guest
Actually, I meant that they should include the "too long, didn't read" bit at the top, because it's a lot to take in. A busy person might move on to another post without reading this, but it's a project that's definitely worthy of everyone's attention. If it's not a helpful suggestion, I can delete my post.

Anonymous
Not applicable
"craigotron" wrote:
Actually, I meant that they should include the "too long, didn't read" bit at the top, because it's a lot to take in. A busy person might move on to another post without reading this, but it's a project that's definitely worthy of everyone's attention. If it's not a helpful suggestion, I can delete my post.



Ah got you.

No I'd leave your post as it does bring this great idea to peoples attention.

jjerald
Honored Guest
"craigotron" wrote:
Actually, I meant that they should include the "too long, didn't read" bit at the top, because it's a lot to take in. A busy person might move on to another post without reading this, but it's a project that's definitely worthy of everyone's attention. If it's not a helpful suggestion, I can delete my post.


Thanks for the suggestion. I added the link to the Sixense page with video near the top of the post.

Jason
-- Jason Jerald, PhD Consultant NextGen Interactions http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjerald

jjerald
Honored Guest
"craigotron" wrote:

When does the Kickstarter launch. I want to make sure I support this.


The launch will be this month (April). We do not have an exact date yet.

Jason
-- Jason Jerald, PhD Consultant NextGen Interactions http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjerald

aabel
Honored Guest
The hydra is really poorly suited to 3d modeling tasks due to the complete lack of pressure sensitivity. The ideal 3d modeling input looks more like a sensable than a hydra.

3d animation on the other hand would be a perfect application for the hydra as it is a task that is primarily about translating and rotating things in 3d space. Pressure sensitivity is not important in animation, accurate and intuitive 3d movement and rotation is.

I would be far more interested in what kind of Rift+Hydra plugins you guys could develop for established 3d packages than what you can come up with on your own as you are going to be playing catch up for a very long time. It would also probably be a lot cheaper for you guys to develop plug-ins for maya, max, and motion builder than it would be to roll your own application. You would also get to leverage existing user bases to market too and not have to convince them to get a new tool.

jjerald
Honored Guest
"aabel" wrote:
The hydra is really poorly suited to 3d modeling tasks due to the complete lack of pressure sensitivity. The ideal 3d modeling input looks more like a sensable than a hydra.

Active Haptic devices such as the Sensable Phantom are certainly good and useful for some modeling applications. In fact, this has been done plenty of times before although typically with world-fixed displays. I would certainly encourage anyone to develop a modeling package with the Phantom and the Rift.

"aabel" wrote:
3d animation on the other hand would be a perfect application for the hydra as it is a task that is primarily about translating and rotating things in 3d space. Pressure sensitivity is not important in animation, accurate and intuitive 3d movement and rotation is.

We would love to do animation and this may indeed be a stretch goal. Precision and accuracy is certainly a big challenge in empty 3D space no matter how precise and accurate the tracked device is. Drawing smooth animation paths or controlling rotations may be more challenging than modeling because now there is the time component that must also be controlled. Additional tools to modify paths, velocity, acceleration, etc. would be required to do anything more than the very basics.

I would be far more interested in what kind of Rift+Hydra plugins you guys could develop for established 3d packages than what you can come up with on your own as you are going to be playing catch up for a very long time. It would also probably be a lot cheaper for you guys to develop plug-ins for maya, max, and motion builder than it would be to roll your own application. You would also get to leverage existing user bases to market too and not have to convince them to get a new tool.

We have integrated 6DoF devices with Maya and Sketchup. Some things are certainly possible with 2.5D software. However, porting existing 2D software/concepts to two-handed 6DoF devices is not only challenging but also limits what can be done. The most immersive games and applications will be built from the ground up for HMDs and 6DoF controllers.

There is also the issue of cost. We are developing a low cost system that anyone without modeling experience can use. The entry point for our wide target audience will not be able to afford Maya or a Haptic device (at least not yet!).

With all this being said, the system uses a CAD engine (i.e., true solid models) so that users can import and export to/from other CAD packages.

Thanks for the feedback, I encourage any other comments and suggestions.

Jason
-- Jason Jerald, PhD Consultant NextGen Interactions http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjerald

edzieba
Honored Guest
Will MakeVr have support for 6-DoF force controllers (e.g. 3dConnexion's and Spatial Freedom's offerings)> A force controller in the left hand, one Hydra controller in the right and the other controller for head position tracking would make for a nice interface.