This is a write-up for Udacity VR Nanodegree.
For this exercise, we need to pick an industry. I pick elevator industry :) Per the assignment, we need to build an educational application for the chosen industry.
Now, I need to think of a cool simulation for the elevator business. Developers many times have a hard time putting themselves to the end users shoes (this is true in KONE as it is elsewhere), so how about a simulation of an an individual's people flow experience in a tall building?
Maintenance technicians could learn skills and processes using VR before going to the field and getting hands-on. VR is safer than the real environment!
User Persona -- Harper Penn
Image copyright KONE Corporation
- Age: 38
- Occupation: Elevator technician
- Quote: I do not want to make people wait.
Harper is a pro, and wants to make things efficient. He is willing to try out new technologies if they help him in his job, but he does not want to waste time with nonsense. He does not take work home, he wants to spend his free time walking his dog and with his family.
Harper knows about VR, but has not used the technology before.
Using the persona
How accessible would each VR platform be to your target student in terms of price? Take into account location, age, and income.
Harper can afford more expensive gear should it be required, especially if his kids can use it as well. His employer might also buy sets of any necessary VR equipment to the office for the use of multiple people getting training. On the other hand, Harper already has a decent Android phone (courtesy of his employer).
How interactive does your lesson need to be? For example, do I need to pick things up or could I get away with just looking at objects?
Just looking at things may be a bit unsatisfactory for Harper.
How realistic do your visuals need to be in order to teach? For example, could I use 2D images and videos in a 3D Environment or do you need high poly 3D models.
Lower resolution would probably be ok as well, and for some teaching scenarios it might even be better as it would make it easier to highlight important things and not get bogged down to unnecessary fine detail. Like safety controls on top of elevator car.
Does my student need to feel like a participant in the experience or can they be a passive viewer? Could they be both?
In some scenarios, like when just trying out being a passenger and checking how long it takes to get to various parts of the building, being a passive viewer might be ok. But movement mechanics and sim sickness need to be taken into account; automatic railroad movement in escalators and lifts is ok, but elsewhere we need to give Harper control so as not to cause unnecessary discomfort.
Given the answers above, what are potential platforms you could use for your experience?
Mobile or High-immersion VR both work, at least for initial user testing where prototype is tested.