Inspiration
Lockheed Martin's challenge for SBHacks was to build a virtual reality helicopter manufacturing facility using Unity3d, the VRTK library, and the SteamVR SDK. The facility attempts to meet the most amount of Lockheed's requirements in the allotted time while also offering users an immersive and realistic experience.
What it does
HeliEdge provides users with the ability to easily replicate the manufacturing process of a helicopter from start to finish. Users are able to travel through a three-dimensional facility, interact with hand tools, add individual components to a helicopter, and watch parts of the automated process.
How we built it
HeliEdge is built in Unity3D using the VRTK and SteamVR libraries, with the code base being in C#. It can be adapted to run on multiple VR platforms, but is currently designed and tested for the HTC Vive.
Challenges we ran into
The first major challenge we encountered was with a bug in the Unity version required by Lockheed to complete the challenge. In version 5.6.2, a bug exists where the headset is unable to track the remote controllers. A fix in previous versions of Unity was deprecated in this version, preventing us from easily finding an initial solution. However, we determined that it was possible to use the version of the now-deprecated script in SteamVR 1.2.1 to replace itself in SteamVR 1.2.2 and re-engage controller tracking.
A second challenge we ran into was with item collision and physics while implementing interactive objects. Initially, items that were given interactive properties either fell through the floor, disappearing from the map entirely, or would float in the air upon being picked up and released. Through extensive testing, we were able to determine the object properties that caused this and adjusted them.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are extremely proud of finding a workaround for the significant controller bug that hindered much of our early progression. We're also proud of the immersive environment that we were able to craft and deploy given the limited amount of time.
What we learned
Our entire team had never worked with VR techology, nor had we worked in designing and building a game through the Unity engine. We learned quite a bit about the Unity engine itself and the various components that go into making a virtual reality product outside of coding, including world building, animation, and UX design.
What's next for HeliEdge
The next part would be adding additional features that we were unable to complete within the time limit, including individual component testing, greater control in manufacturing the helicopter, finished product demonstrations, and more.
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