The pandemic has brought the attention of the world towards virtual environments linked to social participation. Work, relationship, and education, the epidemic has interrupted all; it has triggered the need for shared virtual space. It is forcing us into the world of the metaverse, i.e., the collective, virtual space created by the convergence of virtual reality and virtual space.
Virtual and augmented technologies were once used in industrial applications and video gaming environments only. But the changing technological landscape suggests the use of AR and VR will increase significantly as a way to deal with realities the pandemic has brought. Every surface in our home could become an interactive interface to visualize anything.
VR technologies are becoming more powerful every passing day. Various industries are adapting to this technology. SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* is also investing in this direction to manage its VR applications internally using the 3-D creation tool UNREAL Engine. This software is helping creators across industries to deliver cutting-edge content and immersive virtual experience.
Role of Acoustic in AR and VR
Space is not only what we see but also what we hear; it has an acoustic dimension. Some experts believe sound plays a significant role in making the AR/VR experience truly immersive. These technologies deliver unique experiences with unbelievable benefits. The proper use of acoustic in AR and VR can enhance the function and quality of the existing devices.
For instance, using AR headsets can allow two-way communication between a supervisor and their employee who needs help troubleshooting. It will overlay information onto the user’s physical world.
Moreover, it can provide Artificial Intelligence voice assistance to help resolve the tasks at hand. Architects can benefit from this technology in the designing process. Hence, the use of sound technology will increase the productivity of employees. Moreover, this technology will open ways of person-to-person and person-to-machine communication.
Nowadays, architectural videos don’t give the client the real 3D experience, which they usually enjoy in virtual video games. Most ID projects and videos are long as well as boring, lacking immersive experience. The architecture videos present the projects through storytelling technique accompanied by a background score to suggest how the project could be carried out. By incorporating 3D reality with UNREAL, SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* is making a walkthrough similar to the video gaming experience. It will give higher entertainment and deeper immersion to the viewers, with the ultimate real-time experience.
The most amazing part of VR technology is that you cannot only have a visual experience like video games but also immerse in the environment through the auditory experience and sound effects. With SUPERFUTUREDESIGN*’s new 3D reality, you can now live the visual experience in an interactive style with real sensorial experience. Thus, everything reacts interactively according to how the user moves in the virtual environment.
Are VR/AR Client-Driven Technologies?
Traditionally, industries like film productions and video games exploited the use of shared, collective spaces within the scope of VR and AR. This is why these applications have high standards of quality. Customers get used to the standard, and demand for better, setting objectives for quality growth. To cater to the customers’ demands, professionals work to improve the quality of this application. This, in return, helps the clients to get better outcomes.
Use of VR and UNREAL in Architecture
Those who play video games are familiar with the qualitative development of graphic engines, such as UNREAL Engine, over the years. From angular and glare-free geometries to photorealistic scenarios, graphic engines have evolved in a short time.
Architects use the graphic engines of video games and implement this technology in their projects. The most significant advantage of this technology for architects is that it can give you a photorealistic video and images in a few clicks in a properly set environment. Hence, the primary draw of this technology is the reduction in the production time and quality representation of the architecture.
However, the challenge it presents is the time to set up the environment. Reducing the environment setup time will help obtain the maximum advantage of these technologies.
The end results you get are an interactive virtual environment. In this case, you can present a subject with some interactivity points such as different lighting setups, to the customers. In the traditional setup, all this would require creating new representations every time.
Can Technology Solve Every Architectural Problem?
After the invention of the wheel, the vapor, the airplane and Artificial Intelligence….. we might judge these inventions on the impact they have on our lives, at first glimpse they seem just tools, but in such powerful form that they will highly enhance our ability to solve future problems.
Science and technology have touched almost every aspect of our lives, but there are some things that it might not be able to do. The technology can’t come up with creativity and can’t solve the architectural problems. However, Artificial Intelligence may play a role in this in the future. But AI will only offer programmed-solutions designed by machines that will lack consistency.
Experience and Improvements in Future OF VR
VR technologies are likely to see a generational update in a few months that will change the industry practices. This software will offer architects to manage realistic effects and polygons, obviously with the help of efficient hardware, without having to face ultra-technical issues.
This software will minimize the need for technological knowledge and provide developers with the software to handle complex projects with minimum effort. The architects will need to develop storytelling skills, free of technical constraints.
Do Clients Need Education And Awareness?
On behalf of SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* I went for specialized training courses to keep up with the UNREAL software and VR technology years ago, and now it is heading in the direction of managing the VR applications internally. Andrea Rettori and I, developed internally and in real-time while designing, the architectural visualizations.
We understand the clients need the necessary information for a better understanding of the new technology. They must know the advantages of using VR technology and implementing programs such as UNREAL for their projects.
However, technology is more accessible to people today at a much faster speed. So, it will not be challenging to introduce the customers to a 3D VR vision of their residential/commercial project, especially when they are already familiar with virtual reality. For instance, they may have experienced virtual reality in cinemas, video games, or on the online VR e-commerce.
Is It Beneficial For A Client or an Architect?
The UNREAL software and VR technology have many benefits to the architect investing time to learn the software. The primary advantage is that they can reduce the timing of the traditional method of representing architecture with the help of VR representation.
Moreover, the customers get a broad vision of what will be the end results of their project. This way, one will be able to easily present the vision, and the other can get a clear picture of the vision.
For now, it is difficult to say who will the main beneficiary of this technology. However, this technology is likely to change the way of discussion of the project with the customers. The experience (for both the customers and architects) will help us determine if it is advantageous or better than the traditional route.
Architecture and Design’s Impact on Other Industries
Today, architecture and design are leveraging the applications used in other industries such as cinemas, video games, and e-commerce industries. They offer some technologies to use in the architect and design field.
However, some sectors will have no choice than to adapt to how the architecture industry is implementing VR technology and software like UNREAL. For example, the real estate sales will need to introduce this technology to their customers for a “virtual” tour of the homes or to visualize their future homes. VR will become important software in the future for most of the industries.
Conclusions
Introducing VR technology, or any new technology, to your clients can be challenging. But once they become aware of this technology, it will help you both enter into the future of applications and software. Who knows architect and design will redefine the ways to use 3D technology, bringing new realities to life.