Bringing a BricsCAD model into a Virtual Reality

Joe Dunfee

 I recently learned about a program, ENTiTi Creator to create Virtual Reality.  It is a free program, and is based on some cloud hosting, though the program  resides on your computer.  Your model is published and hosted on their server.  From there, you should be able to view the model using something like Google Cardboard, or one of the more professional head-mounted displays. Their program seems fairly polished, and you can do things like create moving objects in the virtual world. Their web page is, www.wakingapp.com

One challenge is that the program will not read  DXF or DWG directly.  Support formats: fbx, .dae, .obj

I will also mention another thing. It opens in the middle between my two monitors.  You cannot drag the window until you have both logged-in and then, you must resize the window so that it fits entirely in one of the monitors.  Then, you can drag and open it to fill one of the monitors.

They provided a link to a free Autodesk utility to convert DXF files into FBX format. However, it is only partially successful in converting my model.  My model has 3D faces in it.  Yet, some of them come in, and some don't.  I don't see a pattern to the differences.

Perhaps some of you would like to play with the program.  I think this sort of technology is a great way to explore 3D models, and even send models to clients, for them to view, since the Google Cardboard app  is free, and the actual display is cheap, and uses many of the large-screen android phones.

I have attached the DXF of my own model.  It represents a portable staging system using large tripods and curtains.

-Joe

Roy Klein Gebbinck

The import problem may be caused by non-planar 3Dfaces or the importer may only support faces with 3 unique points.

Joe Dunfee

Thanks for the suggestion.  I just created a test object drawing and tried it with Autodesk's FBX converter.

These do come in;

3D Faces come in, even if they are 4-sided and non-planar..

Polyface meshes.

A polyface mesh with some non-planar faces .

All the above come in, even if they are part of a block.

These do not come in;

Plines do not come in at all.

Acis solids.

Acis solids, that have been exploded into regions.

-Joe

Joe Dunfee

As far as I know, there are no reasonably affordable CAD programs that work seamlessly with any of the VR headsets. I know there are very high-end systems that the automobile companies use. So,  I will throw out a suggestion to Bricsys in regards to VR. or alternatively, a 3rd party developer.

Either integrated into BricsCAD, or perhaps just a separate application that can open BricsCAD dwg files (the dwg version would open the possibility to sell to AutoCAD and other CAD software users) If the BricsCAD trial version will work as a viewer once the evaluation period is over, then that may also serve as a marketing tool.

I don't think the VR viewer needs to really incorporate much functionality beyond viewing. Though, it might be good to implement some way to indicate a walking path through an architectural drawing. You might even do some additional integration into your BIM to integrate doors that open, or environmental elements that add interest to a VR environment.

An alternative approach, might be to use what is called "Fish Tank VR", where the model exists only inside the monitor... thus looking like it is inside a fish tank. The use of sterecopic displays makes this possible.  The addition of some sort of head-tracking make it even more realistic  These trackers are available at a fairly low cost.  See Track IR< or even the Free Track system.  They aren't perfect, because of their lag, but I think for a Fish Tank VR system, that is acceptable.

True integration to creating CAD models has been explored by universities, but only in what I would consider an extremely rudimentary way.  But, I can see that sort of functionality eventually being common.

For a architectural example in Google Cardboard with great ambiance , check out the Tuscany app.

-Joe