Find new answers in our case study below…
How to showcase the power of an AI dialog system in an autonomous driving scenario without leaving a stationery expo booth?
Does a Smart voice assistant provide a better user experience if we gave him a visual appearance?
Fraunhofer VR City Tour VR - Berlin
Our mission ...
The following requirements were defined as our mission statement and goals we had to achieve for our client:
- Create a sunny Berlin City tour, going through several famous locations such as Brandenburger Tor and Checkpoint Charlie, as an immersive VR experience
- Let the user ask questions about the POI using the voice interaction system
- Use the voice interaction system to control the experience
- Discover the city inside a virtual convertible/cabriolet while sitting in a real car
- Get application finalized one month before Hannover Messe 2019
MOVR AI-avatar “Albot” represents the voice assistant visually.
... and our challenges
With our long-term experience we were able to accept and master the following challenges:
- Evaluate VR-Hardware for use in a small space (mounting and running inside a closed car)
- Coordinate project with three project-partners: Fraunhofer IAIS, Volkswagen and MOVR
- Presentation of the city is balanced between performance and realism (lots of details, animations, etc.)
- Integrate Fraunhofer voice assistant service with VR application while service is under constant development
- Work together with another remote development team (Fraunhofer, MOVR)
- Short timeframe for concept, development, testing and roll-out
About the production and development
The process from the idea to the delivery includes various different phases. In the following section are some examples (out of dozens!) how we approached the different aspects of the project.
Application Concept
Application planning was done in a hybrid approach using digital software and real collaboration tools. In the future we’re going to open the MOVR Campus for our clients, to let them join the collaboration in VR.
3D Modelling and assets
To achieve our own standard of professional quality we didn’t only use 3rd party Assets and 3D models, but also created our own, like the building of “Deutsches Historisches Museum“.
Virtual City construction
Inspired by the real design of our beautiful capital Berlin we recreated many areas and POIs for Virtual Reality using assets like buildings, trees, people, cars, parks, traffic signs, walls, malls, etc. as part of the 1.000+ working hours.
Implementation
To give life to the static environment, a population/traffic system was implemented to have walking passengers and driving cars throughout the whole city. A randomized look enhances the impression, that you’re not always seeing the same things. As in real life, there was the challenge of developing the crossing roads logic: Cars or people should never cross the road during red light to prevent accidents with others.
“In Fraunhofer, we were developing a dialogue system and needed a company to develop a VR solution to be integrated with the dialogue system. We approached MOVR and time schedule was really critical and MOVR took this challenge. Mario and team were highly professional. They even advised us on many critical aspects of VR and which eventually has improved overall user experience. We demonstrated the Dialogue system integrated with a VR environment in Hannover Messe, and it was a huge success. My best wishes to MOVR for future assignments.”
Benefits brought by this solution include
- An interactive VR sample application (pre-sales phase) gave the client a clear vision what to expect from the final project.
- cost-efficient way to test user-experience and acceptance without the need for a physical car or tours in the real environment
- perfect boilerplate to implement solutions like e.g. A/B testing
- VR-HMD offers an easy way to track users attention and behavior
- Small hardware footprint and investment – only VR-HMD and VR-ready Notebook needed.
- simulation of real-world conditions possible: e.g. virtual GPS-coordinates are transferred to the virtual assistance service by the VR application
Let’s get in touch with one of our consulting experts:
Mario Deutschmann
CEO & FounderI'm looking forward to your inquiry and feedback about our work and projects....
The company “MOVR” is specialized in Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality (VR/AR/MR) applications for business and supports clients like Bayer, E.ON, Samsung EG, PACT Training, Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS and Medisana with tailor-made solutions pushing their businesses forward.
