About The Project:
OOBE is exploring the next step of virtual reality by combining cutting edge technology to create a never seen augmented reality experience. By the use of augmentation, head mounted displays, motion detection and video cameras the user becomes part of a virtual environment without loosing any real world abilities. The user can explore and interact in a virtual reality environment. She sees herself in this environment through video glasses from different perspectives from different cameras. The video feed from the camera will be augmented with 3D animations based on the application in use. Our future goal is to create a console combining this technology all together using the head mounted virtual reality displays, Video camera and the computer working as the server for integrating the information. This console will be a platform for different application, which could be, used in various genres such as Games, E-‐Learning, 3D Modeling, Engineering, Sports, Medicine and many more. As sample application to show case the possibilities of the console we are developing a 3D virtual reality Music visualizer. Music visualizations give great opportunities to play around with all possibilities given by this technology. We won’t be able to deliver a finished product but we will deliver a sample application and main marketing concepts for the console.
Because of the unique combination of different technologies, it will be challenging to come up with a fast workflow. Bringing together music visualizations on one side with a smooth user experience and a consistent interface design on the other side is a process no one of us has ever gone through. It demands a highly integrated design process where common design methodologies might not be appropriate anymore. By using easy to use frameworks like Processing we will try to combine the design and programming process as much as possible without loosing the eye for the final aesthetics of the application
My Role:
As a project manager my task was mainly to keep the global vision of the team and keep everyone on the same page while scoping down to time constrains and budget limitations. Coming from diverse cultures and characteristics smoothing out the communication between the team members was an implicit task, while I largely feel responsible to meet the needs of every team member. Part of my responsibility was to make sure the deliverables are in fact delivered. Through experience I learned how to do that efficiently without coming off as either too soft or too authoritative which could be destructive or discouraging for team members. Therefore I consider that as one my major challenges and I think I’m still learning about it everyday. Figuring out a way for everyone to be involved and avoiding members disengagement from the teamwork while avoiding frustration of slowed down process for more skilled team members, was another main challenge that I faced. In order to overcome these challenges I tried different ways of communications and applied any advice or management tool that was introduced in class by BVW instructor/ guest speakers and also working with other teams I’ve learned from their management approach and adopted the techniques and tools in OOBE team. However I have to admit it is still a learning process for me and I have much more to learn and experience.
In the midst of the development of the project I became part of the design team and helped out with production of graphic animatic. Through that process while working with four other skilled teammates on the deign team each of whom had a unique approach in developing animatic, I’ve learned to work with few different software such as flash, After effect, premier, final cut, and illustrator and learned to develop the similar effect using different methods and softwares which could be much more time efficient than my original approach. Another responsibility that I had was to document the development process of the project in the team’s blog and follow up on task and meetings through emails and Facebook group page.
Website: http://iaep.de/bvw/
Team blog: http://bvw.iaep.de/blog/
Project Length : 12 Weeks
Team Members: Martin Schüller, Neeveen Bhadur, Nikki Li, Jasmine Jia, Jessie Gao, Craig Childe, Naz Madani