VR Software Development Tools

A virtual reality environment is a 3D simulation that offers the user a unique interactive experience. Every user chooses unconventional and incredibly realistic technological expertise. Although the experience is enhanced by hardware, this is made possible by several excellent VR software development tools that operate in the background.

Virtual reality motion sickness is often attributed to users wearing equipment to simulate an interactive game/experience. Virtual reality is losing ground to augmented and mixed reality. VR, AR, and other technologies are being incorporated into interactive experiences in modern gaming. Virtual reality software development can only go far without the most excellent VR development tools available. There are numerous VR developer tools available to creators. Here are the top 10 most cutting-edge virtual reality software development tools.

Intense VR games like Pokemon Go and many more are made using Unity, a top VR creation engine. It is a cross-platform tool for developing VR content that works with PC, console, mobile, and web platforms. Developers can design sophisticated VR apps with headsets by employing high-fidelity visuals. It is an excellent option for implementing an immersive VE experience.

Blender is a robust 3D software package which is a free and open-source one for creating VR content. It includes Blender 2.80, the latest version, which is user-friendly and integrated with quality-level features. This programme enables developers to create virtual solid reality apps, high-quality animation content and visual effects. Blender is the ideal software development tool for game creators as it makes product testing and exporting simple.

Check also an extension or add-in to the Blender called Blender4Web which allows an export of a Blender model directly to a webpage via WebGL. Check some demo pages created with it: (1) https://eyes.nasa.gov/curiosity/, (2) https://www.blend4web.com/apps/AR/AR.html

VR experiences can be made using Maya, a specialised tool for creating 3D animation and modelling. Models, animations, and environments can all be produced using Maya, an Autodesk 3D animation application. This programme offers 3D model dynamic modification and development for its VR experiences, resulting in special effects and realistic animations.

The potent Unreal Engine offers a full set of developer and supporting VR tools. Gaming, film, architecture, automotive and transportation, broadcasting, and AR/VR simulation benefit greatly from the Unreal Engine. Innovative aesthetics, a rich entertainment experience, and immersive virtual worlds can all be created without restrictions.

Seems as though someone at NASA built a SPICE Toolkit extension for Unreal Engine that allows for building solar system visualizations. Might be interesting to look into! https://github.com/Gamergenic1/MaxQ

The three.js JavaScript library, which enables VR applications to run in web browsers, is used in this open-source web framework to build three-dimensional VR experiences. A-Frame allows for the VR experience across a broader range of web browsers. It is a simple-to-use VR development tool that enables programmers to design 3D images using HTML tags and build strong VR sceneries.

Several unity scripts are included in the virtual reality toolkit (VRTK) to offer reliable solutions to issues that may arise during the development stage. VRTK’s functionalities include fundamental interactions, teleportation, and object manipulation. Developers can alter the toolkit functionality in addition to the SDK’s offered APIs to suit their unique requirements.

OpenVR acts as an abstraction layer between VR hardware and software through its application programming interface (API). Although it can be used independently, this programme is intimately tied to SteamVR because it acts as an API. Developers may connect OpenVR with various VR software and applications because it is compatible with multiple VR hardware devices.

A platform for creating and deploying high-quality VR experiences, including 3D animation, reliable simulations, and highly interactive settings, is called Amazon Sumerian. This technology is beneficial for developing immersive, highly interactive solutions that integrate multiple domains, such as gaming, education, and training.

This AR/VR cloud platform acts as a server-side infrastructure to swiftly create three-dimensional apps ready for the market. To produce and host 3D content for both online and mobile platforms, echoAR offers developers a range of tools and services. This makes several features possible, like drag-and-drop editors and APIs on the web.

Software Development Kit for Eyeware Beam Head and Eye Tracking Eyeware Beam’s software development kit (SDK) enables developers to include gaze-based interactions in their apps using computer vision and machine learning methods. This tool delivers real-time, accurate gaze data to operate the user interface, modify the display, or carry out other tasks.

• conVRged (UGA's own)
• http://Openspaceproject.com
• Universe Sandbox (Steam-based?)
• Check The above summary is from this URL..

Some previous/on-going projects

• U. of Illinois UC, ATLAS Astronomy VR apps including BBC Home Spacewalk.
• Many useful “shows” available in AAS's World Wide Telescope project.
• Check allskyVR source code in GitHub
• Check Purdue's Milisavljevic work. VR Supernova visualization
• Video Example of VR for stellar evolution: https://youtu.be/SkTMSjIkf0Q?si=AuCIO0-fmr1f1Gkt
• Actual VR(?) Simulation: http://outreach.ozgrav.org/MissionGravity/
• Size VR Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHPxnnDCcIs → This VR can be run on a smartphone by downloading the SciVR app.
• https://www.openspaceproject.com/
• JWST VT Experience

This project is done by Ricky Correia.

Meeting note: Contain why Unity VR over Blender VR, also future to-dos.

Three videos show tutorials (Blender to Unity, Orbit scripting, and Rotation scripting) on how to “recreate” solar system model in Unity from Blender.