Building VR Worlds with ViRSE
ViRSE worlds are constructed within the Unity engine using the ViRSE template.
Simple worlds can be constructed using a drag-and-drop visual design approach. ViRSE interaction features include InfoPoints, activatable buttons, more sophisticated interactable controls such as sliders and rotatable wheels, and objects that can be picked up and manipulated. The ViRSE platform handles network synchronization for all these, allowing multiple users to experience the same world together.
ViRSE worlds can consist of simple 3D environments, developed without a single line of code. This is ideal for simulating facilities or environments that are dangerous or impractical to take students to in the real world.
The ViRSE tools plug into the Unity game engine, therefore you will need a Unity license if you wish to develop ViRSE worlds yourself. Alternatively, get in touch with us to see if a world can be developed for you
Click here to open ViRSE's developer documentation
More complex worlds that represent simulations of systems may require coding. ViRSE and Unity use the C# language, and ViRSE imposes few restrictions on what can be done. If you can envisage it in a video game, it can almost certainly be done inside ViRSE.
During development, the ViRSE template provides a simulated platform environment for testing and debugging. Once created, ViRSE worlds are exported into the live ViRSE platform for use.
Operational ViRSE Worlds
MapLab
MapLab is a geological history simulator, intended as a free-form laboratory to aid with the understanding of three-dimensional structures on two-dimensional maps... Students construct geological histories (layers, faults, folds, erosion etc) which generate a 3D block model of the geology for inspection, and a 2D map for comparison. The image shows a tutor group being led through a MapLab demonstration; like all ViRSE worlds, MapLab is 'multiplayer' by default.
MapLab was created by Khunakorn Limpsapapkasiphol and Mark Sutton (Earth Science & Engineering)
SimuLathe
SimuLathe reproduces a real mechanical lathe used in Mechanical Engineering. Its goal is to provide a safe environment in which students can learn how the lathe controls work, and the safety procedures required to use the machine. The lathe is fully functional, and can be used to machine virtual metal cylinders into desired shapes.
SimuLathe was created by Ori Blich, Mark Sutton and Marc Masen (Mechanical Engineering)
Examples 2
Seismics
The seismics application provides an immersive, interactable visualisation of three-dimensional seismic reflection data. The class leader can pick an existing dataset, or upload a new one, to load into the program, whereupon it will be displayed to all students at once. The class leader can navigate through the subterranean landscape to highlight specific geological features
Seismics was created by Haotong Zou, Charlie Ball, Simon Warder, Mark Sutton and Rebecca Bell (Earth Science & Engineering)
Structural Analysis
The structural analysis simulator is a freeform space to experiment with beam and truss structures. Students can experiment with different configurations of beams, supports, and loads, to manipulate the structures with their hands and observe the visualised deformations in real time, nurturing a truly kinesthetic understanding of the content.
Structural Analysis was created by Asha Bhakai, Martin Leung, Stephen Liu, and Demetrios Venetsanos (Aeronautics)
Examples 3 - Crowd Dynamics and Fossil Viewer
Crowd Dynamics
The crowd dynamics application immerses students in a virtual replica of a London Underground station, complete with crowds of AI, pathfinding agents going about their daily commute. Students can experiment with varying evacuation procedures, varying the population of the station, and placing obstacles within the path of the agents to observe the change in their behavior, and the wider effects on the dynamic of the overall crowd.
Crowd dynamics was created by Zekai Ni, Lola Spehner, Ran Zhang, Mark Sutton and Arnab Majumdar (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Fossil Viewer
The fossil viewer provides a facility for observing high-quality (typically photogrammetry) models of fossils, and other objects. Staff can upload any fossil or object they wish for students to observe. All students in a class can view their own version of the fossil at once, and fossils can be enlarged and measured to better observe each and every detail.
Fossil viewer was created by Mark Sutton (Earth Science and Engineering).
Examples 4 - Orbits & BoneBuilder
Orbits
The Orbits application provides an immersive visualisation tool for orbital mechanics, allowing students to gain an intuitive, spatial understanding of complex mathematical formulae.
Orbits was created by Sid Swamy, Oluwatosin Ogunyebi, and Davide Amato (Aerospace)
BoneBuilder
BoneBuilder provides a number of skeletons that students can assemble like jigsaw puzzles. The BoneBuilder application will recognise when each skeleton is correctly assembled and provide feedback to the user
BoneBuilder was created by Valery Kirensky, Jakob Slater-Morris, Mark Sutton and Alan Spencer (Earth Science and Engineering).
Examples 5 - Mars Rover and Craterium
Mars Rover
The Mars Rover applications simulate the operation of a Mars rover, in which students formulate a plan and program the rover with instructions to map the terrain. Students then collect the generated data to analyse the Martian landscape
The Mars Rover applications were created by Will Lovett-Turner and Mark Sutton (Earth Science and Engineering).
Craterium
The Craterium provides digital replica of a number of Lunar craters for students to explore, allowing students to gain an intuition for the scale and topology of these structures
Craterium was created by Orchis Zhang and Mark Sutton (Earth Science and Engineering).
Examples 6 - Wind Tunnel and Geomorphology
Wind Tunnel
The Wind Tunnel application provides students with an hands-on simulation tool to further their understanding of both the structure of a wind tunnel, and the phenomena observed within them
The Wind Tunnel application was created by Hasti Jalal-Aldeen, Hugo Lopera Starefors, and Maria Ribera Vicent (Aeronautics).
Geomorphology
The Geomorphology application provides immersive replications of various Welsh landscapes, facilitating virtual field trips for students to explore the geology and topology of the terrain
The Geomorphology application was created by Elim Wong and Mark Sutton (Earth Science and Engineering).
Examples 4 - Game of Life
Game of Life 3D
The Game of Life 3D is an immersive, 3D variation to John Conway’s "Game of Life" - a cellular automaton that provides a fascinating model for exploring complex, emergent behavior through the propagation of simple interactions. Users can configure the size of their three-dimensional grid before specifying a starting seed, whereupon the “game” can be started, and the evolving behaviors, patterns, and complexity can be observed.
Game of Life 3D was created by Fred Tovey-Ansell (Earth Science and Engineering).
Watch this space!
We have a number of further ViRSE worlds in development and scheduled for use in undergraduate teaching in 2024 - watch this space!
If you're interested in learning more or creating your own ViRSE world, please get in touch.
Contact us
Development Lead
Fred Tovey-Ansell
f.tovey-ansell@imperial.ac.uk
Academic Lead
Mark Sutton
m.sutton@imperial.ac.uk