Baichen’s VR AR & MR Blog

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Contextual & Theoretical Studies 2 Uncategorised

Part 1 Ideas Generation

I was inspired by five words I brainstormed in class: Mixed Reality, Phygital, Human-Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, and Innovation. These concepts led me to choose my dissertation topic. Having watched and experienced Meta’s latest Mixed Reality headset, the Meta Quest 3, which is set to release in 2023, I was fascinated by the potential of MR technology. It struck me as a field ripe for exploration. After considering various topics related to MR, I finally decided on a thesis exploring how Mixed Reality technology is transforming our world. I began my research by seeking out pertinent information in the field of Mixed Reality.

Meta Quest 3

I started by asking myself a lot of questions based on my understanding of MR
How does MR work?
How does MR affect the user experience?
What are the main areas in which MR is currently being used?
What are the main challenges faced when designing and developing MR applications?
What are the considerations of MR in dealing with user data and privacy?
What are the ethical and social issues that may arise from MR?
…………

Based on these questions I have targeted my dissertation to a topic that can cover all of these queries, which is MR technology fusion reshaping our world.

Part 2 Determine Article Content

On the topic of how MR technology is reshaping our world I research and write what I think should be discussed in each section.

  • Introduction: Examines MR’s evolution and its transformative applications, especially in healthcare.
  • Literature Review: Discusses MR’s development, applications, social impact, and research gaps.
  • Discussion: Delves into MR’s technological evolution, applications in healthcare and education, and societal implications.
  • Conclusion: Summarizes MR’s potential, limitations, and future research directions.

Then I wrote a detailed article outline based on this.

Introduction

  • Introduction to the concept and significance of Mixed Reality (MR).
  • Historical development and early contributions to MR technology.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Literature Review

  • The evolution of Mixed Reality technology from concept to practical application.

Chapter 2: Evolution of Mixed Reality Technology

  • Milestones in the development of MR technology.
  • Exploration of the connection between Phygital and MR.

Chapter 3: Application Fields of Mixed Reality Technology

  • Applications of MR in healthcare, entertainment, and education.
  • Case studies and examples of MR applications.

Chapter 4: The Impact of MR on Society and Culture

  • Effects on communication, social interactions, and consumerism.
  • Ethical concerns and privacy issues.

Chapter 5: Identification of Research Gaps

  • Need for comprehensive studies on MR’s effectiveness and long-term impacts.

Discussion

Chapter 1: Technological Evolution and Principles of MR

  • Fusion of digital and physical realities.
  • Breakthroughs in MR headset technology.
  • Expansion and societal impact of MR.

Chapter 2: Application of MR in Diverse Fields

  • Transformation of healthcare through MR.
  • The role of MR in education and entertainment.
  • Comparative analysis of MR applications across various fields.

Chapter 3: Societal Implications and Ethical Considerations

  • Cultural and social dynamics influenced by MR.
  • Ethical challenges and regulatory approaches.

Conclusion

  • Summary of MR’s technological advancements, applications, and societal impact.
  • Implications for future MR development and further research directions.
  • Limitations of the study and emerging technologies in MR.

Part3 Writing and Paper Analysis

I decided to start writing from the Literature Review section, I found and analysed a number of journals based on the outline of my dissertation and cited a few of the most authoritative articles from them that best fit the content of my essay.

Billinghurst, M. & Kato, H. (1999). Collaborative Mixed Reality. In Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Mixed Reality (ISMR ’99) (pp. 261-284). Berlin: Springer Verlag.

Rosenberg, L.B. (1992). The Use of Virtual Fixtures As Perceptual Overlays to Enhance Operator Performance in Remote Environments. Technical Report AL-TR-0089, USAF Armstrong Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB OH.

Scorzin, P.C. (2023) ‘The ‘Phygital’ as the Virtual Real: The Role of Mixed Realities in Contemporary Art’, in Grabbe, L.C., Rupert-Kruse, P. & Schmitz, N.M. (eds.) Mixed Reality Images: Trilogy of Synthetic Realities III. Büchner-Verlag eG, Marburg/Germany. p. 115.

Vervoorn, M.T., Wulfse, M., Van Doormaal, T.P.C., Ruurda, J.P., Van der Kaaij, N.P., & De Heer, L.M. (2023). Mixed Reality in Modern Surgical and Interventional Practice: Narrative Review of the Literature. JMIR Serious Games, 11, e41297.

Liu, S.-H., Toreini, P. and Maedche, A., 2022. Designing Gaze-Aware Attention Feedback for Learning in Mixed Reality. In: Proceedings of Mensch und Computer 2022. [online] DOI: 10.1145/3543758.3547565.

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Character Design Uncategorised

Part7 Rendering

https://youtu.be/oUJRRi13ky0
Categories
Character Design

Part 6 Scene building

https://youtu.be/hTWhsEw84YI
Categories
Character Design

Part 5 Rigging

https://youtu.be/9zSWLJLn_eY
https://youtu.be/zLEEnMA89cw
Categories
Character Design

Part 4 UV Map

Select the edges to mark and then expand the UV.

UV maps of all parts.

Layout of UV maps.

Fixing the wrong normals.

Adding different coloured materials to different parts to differentiate them.

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Character Design Uncategorised

Part 3 Retopology

Since there are too many faces in the HPM sculpted in Zbrush, there will be many problems in the animation, so I need to reduce the number of faces in the model by topology. I am using TopoGun, which is a professional topology software. First I imported the obj model I just exported from Zbrush into TopoGun.

I drew the auxiliary lines on the model, and then started retopo them according to the trend of the auxiliary lines.

Adjusting the mesh after drawing the preview mesh.

Click Generate Mesh after adjusting the preview mesh.

Topping up the lower part of the helmet.

Select all vertices on the edge and align them along the x-axis.

Import to Blender and then symmetrical along the x-axis.

5.28 Update, I was not very happy with the results of the previous topology, so I reworked the model.Here are some of the processes.

Categories
Character Design

Part 2 High Polygon Medel

After finishing the preliminary character design, I started making HPM,The software I used in this step was Zbrush.

I started by importing a base female model in zbrush as the basis for my character, In zbrush I mainly use the four brushes Move, Clay build up, Standard and Smooth, I used these brushes to adjust the shape of the base model, including the proportion of the body parts, the length and thickness of the limbs, and then to smooth the surface.

I drew the first layer of combat suit shaped mask on the surface of the model. extract (extrude) the model of the cloth. Then use the brushes to adjust the details of the model.

Use the same method to create the armor part of the chest and the structure of the back

Carving out the back armor.

Then carve out the shoulder armor and leg armors.

Make the prototype of the shoe in Blender.

Back to Zbrush I started making the helmet. First create a ball as the base model of the helmet.

Roughly carve out the shape of the helmet and then draw a mask for the angular part of the helmet to facilitate partial carving. Then carve out the helmet structure according to the design.

Continue engraving details. I decided not to carve out the textures and lines on the combat suit because it is not convenient for topology, and use normal mapping to achieve it later.

Finally, I used the auto-topology function in zbrush to achieve a preliminary reduction in the number of faces.

After exporting these models to obj format in zbrush and then importing them into Blender, they worked fine, so I started the next step of topology.

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Character Design Uncategorised

Part 1 Concept Design

Mood Board

Before creating my character, I was first based on the image of the character I envisioned in my head from the Internet to collect some images to serve as a reference for my design, I was inspired by the game Titanfall II and the image of the pilot in the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, wearing a combat helmet and a tight-fitting combat suit.

Backstory Setting

I started to create the backstory of the character after the initial character image was decided.

World background: In the future world, the world is divided into several camps due to the conflict of interests and resources between countries, Rin’s camp is the “Free Alliance”, which advocates individual freedom and equality, and is committed to maintaining peace and security in the world.
However, there is another powerful camp, called the “Unity Empire”, which has great technological and military power and tries to unify the world by force. Tensions between the Freedom Alliance and the Empire of Unity escalate and fierce battles break out from time to time.Mecha technology has become the focus of competition among the major powers. Mecha is a kind of robot made of high-tech materials, with strong combat ability and defense, and has become an indispensable combat force in the armies of various countries.

Character background: Rin is a 19-year-old girl born into an engineer family. She has been dealing with machines since she was young, even assembling robots with the materials her father used at work. Due to the outbreak of war, Rin was called to join the military academy after graduating from high school. Later, thanks to her outstanding mechanical skills, she was recruited into the mecha training camp. Due to the urgency of the war, Rin was sent to the front line as a second lieutenant and mecha pilot after only half a year of training. Like many new soldiers on the battlefield, Rin was full of passion for war. She won overwhelming victories with her mecha many times, until she encountered that blood-red imperial mecha in a chance encounter battle. Her entire unit was wiped out, and her mecha was destroyed. Fortunately, the life support system in the cockpit saved her life. It was then that she realized that as an inexperienced pilot, she was no match for the imperial pilots, who may have been small in numbers but were rich in experience. Since then, Rin has become silent and taciturn, a true warrior.

Sketch

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Uncategorised

How to achieve self-identity in VR

Based on what was mentioned in class about people’s self-perception of their vr avatars, I learnt that for each individual, characteristics such as gender, skin colour, appearance and race are not self-determined. Now, the advent of VR has changed this fact. In the virtual world, you can choose the colour of your skin at will and decide for yourself whether to be a man or a woman or even not human. For example, in the game vrchat, players can upload their own models as their avatars, which is why many of the beautiful girls in this game open their mouths as male voices.

With a VR headset, you will not be able to see your real body. vr is special in that it allowsIt allows us to ignore our original body and replace it with a new self-image. As depicted in The Matrix, in the near future, people will spend a lot of time in VR worlds, living with others in a new self-image.

Studies have shown that a person’s looks and body shape tend to influence their behaviour, for example, good-looking people tend to have more confidence. Avatars and other virtual images used on social networks also tend to have an impact on the psychological state of the user. So do VR avatars also affect people’s psychological perceptions and therefore change their behaviour?

I read about research by Harvard academic Nick Yee, who discovered a phenomenon known as the Proteus effect.Proteus is an ancient Greek mythological creature that can constantly change itself.Yee wants to suggest that people’s behaviour is influenced by their fictitious images in the imaginary world.

A 2009 experiment by Yee, Bailenson and Ducheneaut explored the effect of avatar appearance on user behaviour. In this experiment, some of the subjects’ avatars were relatively unattractive, while others had higher value avatars. The subjects chatted as avatars in the virtual world for 20 minutes and were found to be more confident in their avatars. The evaluator recorded the amount of personal information revealed by the subjects and found that those with higher face value revealed more personal information.

Categories
Fantasy Environment

Part 8 Conclusion

I was already interested in the subject of fantasy environment, and I wanted to create scenes from many of the films I had seen in virtual worlds, so I chose a corridor scene from the film The Shining as my inspiration for this project. Next I created a mood board, in the mood board I placed a screenshot of the corridor in the Shining, and I searched on Pintrist to find pictures of the corridor to use as a reference for the atmosphere. Then I drew a sketch of the scene I envisioned and drew some of the elements of the scene, such as the chandelier and the curtains blown by the wind.

After all this preparation I started modeling, the whole thing was done in Blender because I like the real-time rendering feature of the Cycles renderer, which allows me to quickly see how the texture will look in the final render. The hard part was the texture part, it was easy to put the mapping on the object, but it took me a long time to adjust the nodes and effects, I learned how to blend the nodes in the YouTube tutorial, and added noise nodes bump maps and color gradient nodes to enhance the material in the rendering. But when I tried to add foam to the water material, I tried to add a lot of nodes, but never achieved the effect I expected, so I had to give up adding foam to the water surface, but the water material rendered well in the render after adjustment. In addition to this fantasy world, I also learned from YouTube tutorials and Google the use of many modifiers, such as the ocean modifier, fabric modifier, and Shrink-wrap modifier that allows objects to simulate floating on the water, these are undoubtedly my biggest gains in the production of this project.

Because I am making a horror scene, lighting is the most important part to create a horror atmosphere, so I created two spotlights in the camera position to simulate the effect of a first-person flashlight, which makes the viewer get an immersive experience while watching the animation and render the horror atmosphere, and then added a flashing effect for the flashlight in the animation timeline to simulate the effect when the flashlight is running out of power to enhance the horror atmosphere. Also add cool and warm light lines to the scene to create a contrast.

The animation is a very interesting part, adding keyframes to each object and move them, and finally playing the animation so that they can run together in harmony. This is my first attempt to use the fabric simulation and wind force field. It was not smooth at first. When the animation is played, the curtain of the fabric simulation added will fall directly to the ground. After searching for a solution on Google, I selected the top row edges of the curtain and fixed their weights to the windows. This problem was solved smoothly. Finally, when I adjusted all the parameters and rendered the animation, I got a full sense of accomplishment. Although I encountered some unsolvable problems during the production process, most of the problems that appeared were solved after I googled, and in Finally got a nice animation. I think making this project has greatly improved my 3D software ability and provided confidence for my next 3D production.