Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
92 lines (81 loc) · 5.86 KB

Intro-To-XR.md

File metadata and controls

92 lines (81 loc) · 5.86 KB

Intro to XR (Extended Reality)

Authors

LaJune McMillian

Essential Questions

  • How can programming represent your ideas and beliefs?
  • How can we create diverse worlds using extended reality?
  • How can we question biases embedded within technology using narratives?

Introduction

In the past few years, access to Motion Capture Data, 3D base models and software to “make an animation yourself” has skyrocketed. From MakeHuman to Mixamo, and CMU’s Motion capture database accessibility to make and finish polished projects has become easier for many. While these resources are extremely helpful to create a range of projects, they lack tools to build diverse characters, creating diverse movements. The Black Movement Project (BMP) is an online database of Black motion capture data and Black character base models. BMP is a tool for Activists, Performers & 3D Artists to create diverse XR projects, a space to research how and why we move, and an archive of Black existence. We live in a world where Black existence is hypervisible, exploited, surveilled, and dehumanized. The Black Movement Project seeks to help Black Performers connect to their bodies in a mental, physical, and spiritual way through use of digital media.

Target Audience / Prerequisite & Pre-Assessment

This workshop will introduce Teenagers to the DIY 3D community. We will go over questions including “Who’s making in this space? How are they making?” and “ Who is left out of the community due to a lack of resources?” Attendees will learn and create using current “accessible” motion capture and modeling technology, and will brainstorm ways to make the technology better.

Outcomes & Goals

In this workshop students will:

  • Have an introduction to Motion Capture, Rigging and Modeling tools.
  • Learn how import characters with animation to enhance virtual environments.
  • Discuss and brainstorm ways to make motion-capture technology more inclusive.

Pacing / Duration

4 hours

  • :20 Overview, context, examples and vocabulary
  • :70 Instruction & hands on exercise
  • :30 Wrap-up discussion & sharing, reflection or journal and next steps Break
  • :20 Overview, context, examples and vocabulary
  • :70 Instruction & hands on exercise
  • :30 Wrap-up discussion & sharing, reflection or journal and next steps

Materials Needed

  • VR Ready Laptop
  • Daz 3D
  • Face Gen software
  • Aframe
  • Hiro Marker (to be printed before class)
  • Blackthreadio
  • Codepen

Exercises To Do Before Class

Vocabulary

  • Extended Reality - referring to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables.
  • Motion Capture - is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robotics.
  • Retargetting - translating and fitting animation between two separate and possibly different skeletons. Using an FBX skeleton animation and transferring it to another character’s skeleton
  • HTML -is the standard markup language for creating Web pages. HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. HTML describes the structure of a Web page.
  • Aframe - A web framework for building virtual reality experiences. Make WebVR with HTML and Entity-Component. Works on Vive, Rift, desktop, mobile platforms.

Exercise Descriptions

Exercise One(2 hours):

  • Intro to Animation and Extended Reality.
  • Motion Capture suit test.
  • Students will break into groups of two and take photos of themselves (profile & front facing)
  • Students will upload both photos into Facegen artist pro, and make any adjustments necessary.
  • Then they will upload their faces in to DAZ 3d and will find their characters. They will add clothing.
  • Once finished, they will take their characters and upload them to Mixamo. They will look through animations and download them as FBX.
  • Last students will take their animations change the file to a .gltf format using blackthread.io . The GLTF files will be uploaded to the dropbox folder

Break

Exercise Two(2 Hours)

  • Intro to HTML and Web XR using Aframe.
  • Students will add more functionality using Aframe’s library
  • Students will design their own hiro markers and connect their AR markers to their animations using code.

Student Reflections, Takeaways & Next Steps

Multiple Project Exit Points: an idea of high-medium-low projects so students are locked into one end product.

  • First Steps - Continue working on your web AR project using Aframe
  • Next Steps - Create AR and VR project using Unity
  • Big Steps - Create
  • Presentation: They should be able to create links to their projects using codepen or glitch to share with friends. They can also take screen captures and post them to instagram.
  • Reflection: What XR(VR/AR/MR) experiences would you like to create? What features would you add to your current project? How can you make sure that your projects are ethical and intersectional?

Post Session

References

Implementation Guidance & Teaching Reflection

With thanks and acknowledgement, we were inspired by the curriculum templates shared by NYCDOE and NYC Open Data