Top 5 VR and AR applications for architects
A recap from the most interesting mobile applications of the market
Virtual and augmented reality tools for the AEC industry are getting better and better every day. As prices continue to fall, there are fewer reasons why each architect, engineer, contractor and owner does not use some ways of VR/AR to bring their projects to life.
From being a novelty a few years ago, VR/AR solutions are slowly becoming a medium that is transforming the way AEC industry professionals communicate, create and experience content. VR and AR tools are becoming an industry standard that offers fast iterations and the opportunity to refine designs in collaboration with clients and colleagues, offering a more immersive experience in architectural designs, but also in products and areas related to construction space.
While VR creates computer-generated and targeted environments, AR provides virtual elements as a superposition to the real world. This is why based on the same kind of technology, VR and AR are taking different paths for the final user as well as for various industries. In addition, it is believed that VR is a more suitable tool for architects, while AR is likely to find more uses in construction.
Although both innovative technologies are exploding, they are still at an early stage of development. Discover the list of VR / AR tools that best suit those working in the AEC industry.
ARki
ARki is a real-time augmented reality visualization service for architectural models. It incorporates AR technology into the architecture by providing 3D models with multiple levels of interactivity for both design and presentation.
ARki can be used on any iOS / Android device. It simply superimposes three-dimensional models to existing 2-D floor plans, but also provides several other interactive functionalities, including real-time shadow analysis and material selection. Users can capture and record personalized views of models in both film and 3D format, and share their content via email or social media in just a few clicks.
Storyboard VR
Storyboard VR is a free prototyping and visualization tool that can be used by architects, AEC professionals, artists, and creators. It allows users to incorporate, organize, scale and animate simple 2D assets. The creators of Storyboard VR, the Artefact design office, developed it for their own internal use for VR projects in which they worked. They created their own tool to quickly and easily generate prototypes of VR experiences.
You can create and load transparent drawings and environment maps from existing sketching tools to VR Storyboard, then select your assets and create a storyboard. Ease of use allows designers to share ideas and get feedback early in the design process. Storyboard VR also includes slides (sequential scenes) providing something like a VR version of Power Point.
Pair
Pair (formerly called Visidraft) used artificial vision and augmented reality technologies to create an application that allows architects to drag and drop three-dimensional models of furniture and consumer appliances into their designs using iPhones or iPads. Its online catalog of models and assets now features more than 200 home furnishings and Fortune 500 manufacturers' offices, with new products being added every day.
After launching its application, the company saw that a large percentage of its growth came from manufacturers of furniture and appliances. What differentiates Pair from other AR solutions is its focus on products and consumers, allowing users to physically walk around a 3D product just like they were in their home office space.
SmartReality
SmartReality is a mobile augmented reality application that uses the mobile device camera to superimpose an interactive BIM model on printed construction drawings to create three-dimensional visualizations of projects. It allows users to zoom, expose structural layers with a touch, scroll through a project over time and record images and videos of their experience. Users can create a free account to upload two-dimensional plans and obtain matching 3-D plans and models for one quote.
The SmartReality application is also available in a VR version developed by JBKnowledge Labs R & D team. This version allows users to practically navigate building models using virtual reality solutions such as Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear and Google Project Tango.
Fuzor
Fuzor is a real-time rendering application that integrates with Revit. It uses technology originally designed by Kalloc Studios for game design and offers a two-way direct link with Revit, which allows users to move, view, annotate and inspect BIM information while synchronizing changes between the two tools.
The direct link is what allows Fuzor to instantly update and reflect the changes made to a Revit file. It supports various measurements, shock analysis, lighting analysis, color filters and visibility, cross section and section cut representation and step-by-step video representation with embedded BIM information.
