VRContext: Virtual Reality for the Industry
 

Walkinside

Walkinside IntroductionWalkinside® is a powerful software application for 3D real-time visualization and simulation that automatically renders very large, complex, computer-generated models. Through its user-friendly menus, maintenance and safety engineers who are responsible for complex facilities are more capable of uniquely integrating competencies, information, and applications—across all disciplines and all business activities.
 
 
Walkinside also delivers decision-support applications by means of smart links to near-static databases (such as production, scheduling, maintenance, and document management) using the virtual 3D model as an intuitive 3D portal.
 
Walkinside’s patented Real-Time Collision Detection and Gravity Simulation technologies allow users to immediately and intuitively explore the virtual 3D model through the eyes of a virtual human character in ways that uniquely emulate real-life experiences, such as awareness of obstacles and interaction with them as ground and gravity restrictions apply.
 
The benefits of Walkinside
 
Engineering design
 
Walkinside provides engineering functionalities for project engineering and procurement phases, including:
  • conversion of existing CAD and laser scan data to develop virtual models
  • mark-up and comments on design, as well as verification of design integrity, through virtual walk-throughs by the project team
  • viewpoints that are exchangeable 3D snapshots of areas in the VR model
  • viewpoint e-mails and file exchanges for collaboration and communication
  • queries that allow users to find equipment based on database information
  • measurements including 3D distance and angle measurements in the model
  • hiding equipment to place another object in its place or to measure the area
  • redlines and comments on the virtual model shared with team members
Accessibility review
 
Both computer- and user-controlled avatars can interact in the virtual model.
  • With patented gravity and object collision, they walk on surfaces and climb stairs.
  • They are stopped by railing, low-lying piping, and clutter.
  • Their walking, running, or swimming is rendered in real time via patented dynamic tessellation.
Asset management
 
Owners can improve asset ROI by offering operators the tools for quality decision-making through intuitive analysis. Walkinside is integrated to production systems so that operators can easily access electronic document management systems, such as SAP®, EMC/Documentum®, Opidis, and IBM/Maximo®, and the 3D virtual asset using mouse options in the applications.
  • Integrated databases leverage existing CAD and other engineering databases, which are linked to the corresponding object in the model.
  • Maintenance teams can visualize outstanding and future work certificates, as well as simulate complex change-outs, by moving plant- and materials-handling equipment through the model.
  • Managers can effectively communicate status, plans, and incidents using a user-friendly virtual model that offers simulated recording options.

Trainees reduce learning curves through immersive and non-immersive training in a model of the actual asset.
 

CAD Models

Walinside 5Walkinside converts existing 3D CAD designs to interactive 3D walk-throughs immediately and without changing settings, just as easily as printing a document. This application federates multi-CAD assemblies in a unified model and enables work in a true multi-CAD digital prototyping environment.

With Walkinside, conversion is painless. There is no need to simplify the 3D model, rebuild a model from scratch using specialized tools, or prepare specific collision-detection paths. Walkinside supports textured elements and transparencies, converting them seamlessly.

Walkinside's converters are tightly integrated with all the major CAD tools used within the AEC, process, and mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) markets. With its converters, Walkinside creates high-level assembly models comprised of components and sub-assemblies developed under various CAD systems from throughout the extended enterprise.
 
Some of the converters are available as plug-ins, while others stand alone. Stand-alone converters take the native CAD file types and perform conversions without the needing the originating CAD application on your system. Plug-ins can deliver a better quality result because missing or misread items are directly identified and can easily be fixed in the original CAD geometry.
 
XMpLant
 
Walkinside now supports XMpLant, the globally accepted system for transporting data between different applications. XMpLant is an XML format combining the data structure of ISO 15926 and the 3D graphics elements of the STEP standard, ISO 10300. It is becoming a robust transport mechanism for handling complex 3D models in process plant design.
 
With the growth of neutral or open standards based on XML, there is increased reliance on XMpLant.
 
Walkinside’s digital mockup features and capabilities enable users to:
  • import and combine components and sub-assemblies from various CAD systems in a single 3D virtual model, preserving the intelligence and attribute data of the original files at all times
  • position and scale models created in different coordinate systems relative to each other by defining transfer matrices with just a few clicks of the mouse; results can be previewed before changes are applied

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Laser Scanning

Laser Scanning

Major facilities for which 3D CAD files and as-built documents do not exist, or are incomplete, are often laser-scanned to help optimize future maintenance and support upgrades. The VRcontext Laser Scanning module (VRLS) directly consolidates multiple scans and allows visualization of the result. This visualization works exactly as the visualization of CAD models works, integrating the results of laser-scanning data sets in the virtual 3D environment of Walkinside.

The consolidation of extremely large point-cloud data sets generated from many scans is a challenge for users of laser scanners who are working on very complex sites. However, laser scanner manufacturers have developed techniques for merging individual scans into 3D visual representations that can be viewed photo-realistically. The level of accuracy of the visualization is hardware-dependent, and the completeness of the representation depends upon the number and the quality of the scanning stations.

Walkinside integrates these photo-realistic images from the various scanners and merges them into the 3D virtual model created from conversion of the CAD files.
 
VRLS can pre-process projects with up to 100-billion raw points (before filtering). The result is an optimized data set that the user can navigate in real time. VRLS technology makes the model recognizable from any point of view and at any moment. Current state-of-the-art computers allow model viewing with high quality and fluent navigation.

VRLS provides access to useful functionalities and tools through the point cloud just as with CAD models. This includes collision detection, first- and third-person mode walk-throughs in the model, and tagging references.
 

3D Portal

3D Portal

VRcontext focuses on development of complete 3D virtual environments that enable Owner/Operators to reduce operating costs and promote safety through a more integrated mode of operations and increased collaboration between responsible parties. All disciplines and all managers get easy access to updated information for equipment within the complete 3D virtual model of the asset, from wherever they are. The technology of streaming/caching 3D models from a central server is well-suited to their needs.
 

A 3D VR model delivered through a corporate portal provides benefits that include:

  • fast, seamless data access
  • simple, intuitive content navigation
  • rapid portal navigation
  • personalized content
  • secure data access

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Walkinside 5.1 features : Overview

Walkinside Real-Time Viewer

Walkinside Viewer Toolbox
  • Immersive walkthrough in massive 3D models.
  • Collision detection and Gravity enable the user to walk around in massive 3D models and see the 3D environment through the eyes of a virtual visitor.
  • The easy-to-use game-like navigation makes sure that novice users without any previous CAD experience can immediately step inside the Virtual Reality model.
  • Walkinside Viewer Toolbox allows to adding ViewPoints, annotations, comments and URL’s to external documents and Internet links to the model.

Walkinside Engineering Database Query
  • The Walkinside Viewer embeds the CAD hierarchy of the original CAD files in the 3D Virtual Reality models.
  • Walkinside Engineering Database query provides efficient navigation inside 3D models using the CAD hierarchy.
  • Walkinside Engineering Database Query allows visualizing Engineering Attributes stored in the CAD system and make queries on the Engineering Attributes.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Viewer Toolbox

Walkinside Project Review
  • Walkinside Project Review enables accurate CAD based measurement in the 3D model.
  • To better focus on components, subsystems or entire plant units, Walkinside Project Review allows to hide objects, change their colors or use clipping planes.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Viewer Toolbox

Walkinside Accessibility Review
  • Walkinside Accessibility Review enables walkthroughs with a walking avatar.
  • Designers can do their Accessibility and Operability Review efficiently, saving costly modifications during the construction phase.
  • During projects, marketing and sales presentations, the walking avatar guarantees that the presenter will capture the attention of the audience.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Viewer Toolbox

3D Collaboration

Walkinside PreView
  • Walkinside PreView is a freely available Collaboration Viewer.
  • Walkinside PreView enables basic Collaboration between Engineering companies, Sub-Contractors and Owner/Operators.
  • Walkinside PreView allows sharing 3D Virtual Reality models of any size and gives access to Viewpoints, Redlining and comments.

Walkinside Model Creation

Walkinside Core Builder
  • Walkinside Core Builder converts 3D CAD files to Walkinside Virtual Reality models that can be opened with Walkinside Viewer Toolbox and Walkinside PreView.
  • Walkinside Core Builder supports:
    • AutoCAD (version: 2007 - 2008)
    • 3ds Max files (version 7 - 8 - 9)
    • MicroStation V8, XM edition
    • XMpLant
    • SolidWorks (version: 2007- 2008)

Walkinside PDMS Builder
  • Walkinside PDMS Builder converts PDMS Geometry and Engineering Database attributes to Walkinside Virtual Reality models.
  • The Walkinside PDMS Builder standalone converter enables the conversion of multi-model projects.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Core Builder

Walkinside PDS Builder
  • Walkinside PDS Builder converts PDS Geometry and Engineering Database attributes to Walkinside Virtual Reality models.
  • Walkinside PDS can be launched in MicroStation directly or in batch mode.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Core Builder

Link External References

Walkinside Near Static Toolkit
  • Walkinside Near Static Toolkit enables smart URL links to external applications based on automatically referenced Engineering Attributes stored in the Walkinside Virtual Reality models.
  • Prerequisite : Walkinside Engineering Database Query
 
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