Hybrid Physical-Virtual Representation for Design Evaluation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current virtual environments are inadequate in modeling the real physical world, limiting their ability to effectively evaluate product designs, particularly for complex items like vehicles, by lacking integration of both virtual and physical models for comprehensive design assessment.
Innovation Solution
A system that overlays virtual and physical environments using sensors and a virtual reality server to create an immersive hybrid representation, allowing users to interact with virtual components superimposed on physical mockups, enabling ergonomic and aesthetic evaluations within a combined virtual and physical framework.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a virtual environment is used to evaluate product designs, then design evaluation capability is improved, but realism and physical accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges virtual and physical environments by overlaying virtual representations onto physical mockups using augmented reality technology. This combination allows design evaluators to assess both virtual design alternatives and physical contextual accuracy simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between design evaluation versatility and physical realism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an augmented reality display as an intermediary device that presents virtual design representations alongside physical mockups. This intermediary enables users to compare virtual designs with physical realities without fully immersing them in a purely virtual environment, maintaining both design evaluation capability and physical accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a purely virtual representation is used, then design alternative evaluation is improved, but user immersion and realistic interaction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines virtual design representations with physical mockups in an augmented reality interface, allowing users to maintain physical immersion while evaluating design alternatives. Users can interact with physical mockups while visualizing virtual design changes, achieving both design evaluation versatility and user immersion.
3Loss of information
If detailed virtual modeling is implemented, then design assessment comprehensiveness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the design assessment by overlaying specific virtual design representations onto relevant portions of physical mockups rather than creating complete detailed virtual models. This segmentation allows comprehensive design assessment of specific components while avoiding the complexity of full-system virtual modeling.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual environment, including at least one virtual element representing a component of an item is generated. The virtual environment is mapped to a physical environment that includes a physical mockup of at least a subset of the item. The virtual environment is provided to a display. The at least one virtual element is displayed in relation to the physical element according to the mapping.