Modpod Immersive Environment | VR

Modpod was about creating an immersive environment that would illustrate the idea of ‘autonomous living’. We built this experience through virtual reality using Unreal. Even though Modpod is a VR experience, first we were going to build Modpod in real life, after the guidance of our professors, we decided on creating Modpod in virtual reality. We showcased this project at the end of the year show, and the School of Design fund-raising event at George Brown College. Modpod is a modular house. It has panels for every need. Some examples include solar panel or battery panel. Users can connect these panels together to build their modular home. These panels can be ordered through the digital interface in Modpod and build their home however they like it in the virtual reality world.

Team

6 UX/UI Designers

Platform

Duration

12 Weeks

Project Type

Year End Show Project

Tools Used

Unreal Engine, Maya, Adobe Xd, Substance Painter

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Design process

Leveraging the design thinking method

My Role - Contribution

01. Conducted concept research

02. Modelled the 3D assets (Modpod frame, chairs, utility panels) and textured them using Maya and Substance Painter

03. Helped with setting up HTC Vive and testing the VR prototype the day before the Year End Show

04. Guided visitors and gave them proper instructions, information on the exhibition day

05. I was one of 3 who showcased Modpod at the George Brown College - School of Design Fundraiser Event

06. Overall, I was part of the every step crafting this VR experience, just like my team mates. This was a solid unit work

Context

In Immersive Environments and Spatial Design class, our team were given the concept of autonomous living. We were asked to research the concept, find a problem and craft a product that solves the problem. Our team named that solution ModPod.

The Problem Statement

How might we give young professionals the means to live autonomously in a shifting environment when a permanent residence is not economically viable?

What is ModPod?

ModPod is a modular smart house system with smart building panels. People would order these smart panels with different functionalities from the ModPod Hub (tablet) and would customize the modular smart house however they like. Users would control these panels on ModPod Hub.

The Goal

Work as a team and craft and ship the solution as an interactive prototype in VR by the Year End Show

Constraints

01. Our team had no experience working in Substance Painter, and Unreal Engine

02. On a tight schedule to deliver a seamless experience

Outcome

We delivered our solution as a working VR prototype. We showcased at the Year End Show and GBC School of Design Fundraiser Event. People talked about how they enjoyed interacting with our product.

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PART 1 - EMPATHIZE

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01. Exploring the Autonomous Living

We started with exploring the autonomous living in order to understand the subject better. Nomads have all life essentials mobile and can easily pack up and re-settle. Our team researched precedents for nomadic living in the real world, and we learned where they lived, what was the social life, hierarchy like, what they ate, and how they coped with the environment.

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02. A Problem to Solve

In this phase, we were asked to come up with 100 questions to generate an idea about what is the problem that we wanted to solve, and how might we solve that problem.

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03. Problem Space - Young Adults Cannot Buy Houses Although They Like to.

The brainstorming session served us with many great ideas. However, we decided on the problem of how most young adults cannot buy houses even though they like to.

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Digging deeper to understand our persona

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PART 2 - DEFINE

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01. Defining the Problem - Our User Needs Statement

Once we had our basic question, our team went out to answer it. ‍

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02. Our Solution is Modpod. An Affordable and Portable Modular Home

We vision that each panel that makes up the home would have specific role and connect with each other. These panels would connect with each other via strong magnets.

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PART 3 - IDEATE

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01. Ideating Our Solution with Concept Sketches

When our team started thinking about how Modpod should look like, we were debating on dome shape or square shape. We sketched it out, discussed over it.

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02. Communicating Our Solution with a Storyboard

In this process, our team visualized the user flow.

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PART 4 - PROTOTYPE

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01. Deciding on the Modpod's Look & Crafting A Physical Object to Finalize

Though we find the dome shape aesthetically more pleasing, we decided on square because if was more feasible and user friendly. Ergo, we finalized how Modpod should look.

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02. Possible Modules and the First Dashboard Design

Modpod's first dashboard had features like settings, costumer support and online order. We thought of panels for Wi-Fi, speaker, smart home, solar panel, heating, TV, lights, and battery.

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MAJOR CHANGE ALERT: UNTIL THIS POINT, MODPOD WAS GOING TO BE AN INTERACTIVE PHYSICAL ART INSTALLATION. NOW WHAT?

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As a team we prepared a materials list. Panels were going to be made of pvc boards that have strong magnets attached to them, frame was going to be made of steam beams, and we were going to use LED strips and Raspberry Pi. Our original intent was to half-build the frame and have users grab the panels that we prepared and attach them to empty spaces in Modpod frame. We created a sketchup 3D model to illustrate the experience.

The half built physical design is offering users to interact and build the rest

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THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE PITCH MEETING! NEW OBJECTIVE: BRING MODPOD TO VIRTUAL REALITY!

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When we completed our process we pitched our idea to our Program Coordinator, Interactive Systems Prof. and Immersive Environment Prof. However, we have been advised to make this project in virtual reality instead of building it physically. So, we decided to bring this project to virtual reality. After deciding on we are turning Modpod into a VR project, we needed a new work plan for every week's deliverables, because we were on a deadline.

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A new work plan for every week's deliverables, because we're on a deadline

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03. We Know How Modpod Will Look, Let's Model It Then - Crafting 3D Assets

We modelled the Modpod in Maya, and the most important thing was to ensure that we modelled the panels with real time measurements.

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Building the Frame Using Real Time Measurements

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04. 3D Modelling the Assets

When we finished the Modpod's skeleton look we needed to model the environment and the panels. We designed the panels for users to take it and attach it to the Modpod frame in VR. We also modelled chairs, lamps, tables for the environment.

Building the panels and other assets for the environment

I am modelling/texturing the 3D assets. (We eliminated the bed because we didn't want to crowd the VR scene so much)

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05. Meanwhile the UI is Being Improved - Working As A Team to Deliver a Seamless Experience at the Year End Show

After finishing the 3D assets next step for us was to improve the user interface. We designed the dashboard different than first version. This time users were going to be able to order the panels in VR dashboard, and panels were going to be drop down to the spot that we determined.

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06. As a Solid Unit We Crafted Everything We Needed. The Biggest Challenge of All, The Boss Fight: Coding in Unreal

After completing the 3D assets and the new interface, we needed to bring everything to Unreal. This part was without a doubt the most difficult part of the project. We needed to spawn every action that users take. For example, from the welcome screen to ordering panels online, grabbing panels and connecting them to empty spaces. However, we were ambitious about this project, and none of us were developers. We conducted couple of workshops with one of the game developer professors at GBC, and that did help us however we ended up getting some outside help as well to finish up our ambitious project.

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PART 5 - TEST

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01. We Tested It & Everything Worked

We tested Modpod multiple times before showcased at the End of the Year Show. The day before the End of the Year Show we came down to school to set up our project and made sure everything was working properly. This video was taken at George Brown College the day before the Year End Show. (12 seconds video)