VR Bike Ride for Scientific Research
Wayne State University is an American public university in Detroit, Wayne County. It is considered the third-largest university in Michigan, and its medical department is one of the largest in the United States.
Client
Wayne State University
Sector
Scientific research
Services
VR development
3D Modeling
Technology
Unity, C#
Business value
The application was created to create a scientific tool that will enable our client to compare the performance of the checked group. These tests are designed to compare the human experience of riding a VR headset on a bike, the VR headset itself, and just riding a bike.
The test session takes around 20 minutes to complete and can be done with and without the stationary bike. The app records data for further research. After the session is completed, a .csv file is created containing detailed information about the course of the entire study, which is updated every 0.5 seconds.
Project overview
The gameplay consists of a 20-minute VR bike ride through the city. There are two types of gameplay:
Passive. Users put on VR goggles and use controllers to drive. They have to rhythmically tap the trigger buttons on both pads to maintain their speed.
Active. Users put on VR goggles and use a stationary bike. While cycling, they also ride in the app. They can also change gears to adjust the resistance at their discretion.
At the start of a 20-minute session, the facilitator sets the user to the required speed at which they must drive. If the user does not meet the minimum speed or drives too fast, sound signals will be activated to notify about the situation.
Challenge
Our design & dev teams faced a number of challenges, including time and technological constraints. It was necessary to achieve a graphical style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, as well as to overcome the feeling of motion sickness by adding VFX effects.
In addition, the team had to combine all elements and plugins from previous projects into a coherent whole. To overcome these challenges, the team focused on technological optimization and creating an endless world. Thanks to hard work and creativity, we achieved the intended goals and created fully functional VR software.
Process and project scope
Technology stack
This VR bike ride application was created for the Meta Quest 2 headset and uses the Quest 2 Link.
The technologies and tools we used for development include the Unity engine and C#. Our Art Team worked mostly with Substance Designer and Substance Painter to deliver dedicated 3D models and environments.