Getting Started

Creating a new simulation

The first thing to do when creating a new simulation is:

Make sure that to start from an empty Unity scene (File>New scene)
From the INTERACT menu, click on Create New Simulation
Choose between three preconfigured environments (Factory, White Lab or Warehouse). Click OK to confirm.

Select display device (VR Headset, PC desktop or Cave), depending on equipment available.
For any VR Headset experience, select which additional tracking hardware combination you want to use (Controllers, Hand & Finger tracking or Body Tracking). Click OK to confirm.

Now look at the 'Hierarchy' tab, 3 objects have been created:

[PhysicsManager] is the object managing the physics simulation (linked with the physics server). Its properties should not be modified unless you are an advanced user.
[Player_1] is the object managing the VR camera and controllers, the hand tracking device and the avatar. Set its position in the scene (initial position in VR when simulation starts) by clicking on it and changing its coordinates (position and rotation) in the 'Inspector' tab.
Factory is the default environment. Delete default environment if you want to replace it with an environment of your own.

Using desktop player

When no VR device is available or needed, the Desktop player is a good option for fast prototyping in order to visualize the scene: select PC (the desktop player) on the "Add player" menu.

With a Desktop player, you can customize the desktop camera commands to map the movements of popular CAD software:

When [Player_1] is selected, check its Desktop Navigation component
Set the Navigation property from Unity, Solidworks, Catia, SketchUp, Revit and Inventor.

Desktop Navigation Sensitivity

The Sensitivity parameter controls how responsive the camera navigation is to mouse movements. Adjust this value to customize camera control speed.

Below a summary table of the commands of the main CAD software that can be used in INTERACT:

UnitySolidworksCatiaSketchUpRevitInventor

	Unity style camera controller commands
Rotate view	`Right Button` (to rotate around camera axis) or `Alt`+`Left Button` to rotate around last focus point
Pan camera	`Middle Button`
Zoom	Scroll `Middle Button`

	Solidworks style camera controller commands
Rotate view	`Middle Button`
Pan camera	`Ctrl`+`Middle Button`
Zoom	Scroll `Middle Button`

More information here

	Catia style camera controller commands
Rotate view	Hold `Middle Button` + Hold `Right Button`
Pan camera	Hold `Middle Button`
Zoom	Hold `Middle Button` + Press `Right Button` + Move mouse

More information here

	SketchUp style camera controller commands
Rotate view	Hold `Middle Button`
Pan camera	Hold `Middle Button` + Hold `Left Button` or `Shift`
Zoom	Scroll `Middle Button`

More information here

	Revit style camera controller commands
Rotate view	`Shift` + `Middle Button`
Pan camera	Hold `Middle Button`
Zoom	Scroll `Middle Button`

More information here

	Inventor style camera controller commands
Rotate view	`Shift` + `Middle Button`
Pan camera	Hold `Middle Button`
Zoom	Scroll `Middle Button`

More information here

Move rigidbodies using the desktop player

Move grabbable objects like in VR by dragging the left mouse button. Rigid bodies need a Unity Mesh Collider in order to be detected by the Desktop Manipulator Tool.

Playing the simulation

INTERACT allows to quickly switch from working session (Unity's Editor mode) to the VR simulation (unity's Play mode). To do so :

In the Unity toolbar, click on the Play button
Put headset on, and visualize virtual environment at scale 1:1.

Note

Something looks odd? Consult the troubleshooting page to get some help.