An Introduction to 3D User Interface Design

3D user interface design is a critical component of any virtual environment (VE) application. In this paper, we present a broad overview of three-dimensional (3D) interaction and user interfaces. We discuss the effect of common VE hardware devices on user interaction, as well as interaction techniques for generic 3D tasks and the use of traditional two-dimensional interaction styles in 3D environments. We divide most user interaction tasks into three categories: navigation, selection/manipulation, and system control. Throughout the paper, our focus is on presenting not only the available techniques, but also practical guidelines for 3D interaction design and widely held myths. Finally, we briefly discuss two approaches to 3D interaction design, and some example applications with complex 3D interaction requirements. We also present an annotated online bibliography as a reference companion to this article

An experimental study to test a 3D laser Scanner for body measurement and 3D virtual garment design in Fashion education

Artists, scientists, anthropometrists and tailors have accurately measured the human body with traditional tools, such as tape measures, callipers and accumulated visceral experience for centuries. Due to the progressive acceleration in the quality of 3D graphics technology and computer processing power, many product industries that traditionally use 3D software as a 3D design and prototyping tool, are also successfully measuring, customizing and re-engineering the products they design and manufacture through the integrated use of 3D Laser scanning technology. In the changing world of Fashion, 3D graphics technology has at last emerged from the shadows of academic research projects and hit the high streets. 3D body measurement surveys, using mobile 3D laser scanners, have mapped the true shape and body sizes of the UK and USA populations. Virtual fit and 3D visualisation technology has expanded out from the Internet, into the physical world, and is now available for shoppers to visualise made to measure garments. The acceptance of three-dimensional body-scanning and 3D digital design tools into our everyday experiences can be seen as a significant move toward encouraging and developing new, innovative learning and teaching methods in Art & Design education. This paper describes an experimental study into the application of 3D laser scanner technology for use in learning and teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate fashion and textiles design; clothing manufacture, fashion marketing, merchandising and promotion. The study focuses on testing the 3D scanning equipment with a student sample group. The use of the sample group attempts to simulate a range of body shapes, categorised by the traditional standard size chart specification method, currently used to design new fashion collections for high street clothing retail and UK fashion education. The methods applied for evaluation and testing of the 3D laser scanner for body measurement are described, and the results of the initial user experiences are discussed. The study seeks to establish the overall efficiency of 3D scanning technology and investigates the potential value for integration of the 3D Laser scanner with 3D clothing design and construction software. Conclusions provide recommendations on the potential effectiveness of connecting the results of the 3D body measurement study to the fashion curriculu

A framework of web-based conceptual design

A web-based conceptual design prototype system is presented. The system consists of four parts which interpret on-line sketches as 2D and 3D geometry, extract 3D hierarchical configurations, allow editing of component behaviours, and produce VRML-based behavioural simulations for design verification and web-based application. In the first part, on-line freehand sketched input is interpreted as 2D and 3D geometry, which geometrically represents conceptual design. The system then infers 3D configuration by analysing 3D modelling history. The configuration is described by a parent–child hierarchical relationship and relative positions between two geometric components. The positioning information is computed with respect to the VRML97 specification. In order to verify the conceptual design of a product, the behaviours can be specified interactively on different components. Finally, the system creates VRML97 formatted files for behavioural simulation and collaborative design application over the Internet. The paper gives examples of web-based applications. This work forms a part of a research project into the design and establishing of modular machines for automation manufacture. A consortium of leading automotive companies is collaborating on the research project

Mediating Cognitive Transformation with VR 3D Sketching during Conceptual Architectural Design Process

Communications for information synchronization during the conceptual design phase require designers to employ more intuitive digital design tools. This paper presents findings of a feasibility study for using VR 3D sketching interface in order to replace current non-intuitive CAD tools. We used a sequential mixed method research methodology including a qualitative case study and a cognitive-based quantitative protocol analysis experiment. Foremost, the case study research was conducted in order to understand how novice designers make intuitive decisions. The case study documented the failure of conventional sketching methods in articulating complicated design ideas and shortcomings of current CAD tools in intuitive ideation. The case study’s findings then became the theoretical foundations for testing the feasibility of using VR 3D sketching interface during design. The latter phase of study evaluated the designers’ spatial cognition and collaboration at six different levels: “physical-actions”, “perceptualac ons”, “functional-actions”, “conceptual-actions”, “cognitive synchronizations”, and “gestures”. The results and confirmed hypotheses showed that the utilized tangible 3D sketching interface improved novice designers’ cognitive and collaborative design activities. In summary this paper presents the influences of current external representation tools on designers’ cognition and collaboration as well as providing the necessary theoretical foundations for implementing VR 3D sketching interface. It contributes towards transforming conceptual architectural design phase from analogue to digital by proposing a new VR design interface. The paper proposes this transformation to fill in the existing gap between analogue conceptual architectural design process and remaining digital engineering parts of building design process hence expediting digital design process

Learning while Competing -- 3D Modeling & Design

The e-Yantra project at IIT Bombay conducts an online competition, e-Yantra Robotics Competition (eYRC) which uses a Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology to train students to implement a robotics project in a step-by-step manner over a five-month period. Participation is absolutely free. The competition provides all resources - robot, accessories, and a problem statement - to a participating team. If selected for the finals, e-Yantra pays for them to come to the finals at IIT Bombay. This makes the competition accessible to resource-poor student teams. In this paper, we describe the methodology used in the 6th edition of eYRC, eYRC-2017 where we experimented with a Theme (projects abstracted into rulebooks) involving an advanced topic - 3D Designing and interfacing with sensors and actuators. We demonstrate that the learning outcomes are consistent with our previous studies [1]. We infer that even 3D designing to create a working model can be effectively learned in a competition mode through PBL

The design-by-adaptation approach to universal access: learning from videogame technology

This paper proposes an alternative approach to the design of universally accessible interfaces to that provided by formal design frameworks applied ab initio to the development of new software. This approach, design-byadaptation, involves the transfer of interface technology and/or design principles from one application domain to another, in situations where the recipient domain is similar to the host domain in terms of modelled systems, tasks and users. Using the example of interaction in 3D virtual environments, the paper explores how principles underlying the design of videogame interfaces may be applied to a broad family of visualization and analysis software which handles geographical data (virtual geographic environments, or VGEs). One of the motivations behind the current study is that VGE technology lags some way behind videogame technology in the modelling of 3D environments, and has a less-developed track record in providing the variety of interaction methods needed to undertake varied tasks in 3D virtual worlds by users with varied levels of experience. The current analysis extracted a set of interaction principles from videogames which were used to devise a set of 3D task interfaces that have been implemented in a prototype VGE for formal evaluation