We are pleased to announce that we have concluded with the first version of PrismArch’s APIs integration between BIM/CAE-Simulation software and the Unreal engine.
The overall concept could be described as the first version of the integration between CAD/BIM/CAE software and the Unreal engine that will allow two-way communication and collaboration inside VR environments for all AEC disciplines. Special attention has been also given to incorporate the existing scenarios, i.e. the software that AEC specialists already use so that the current know-how is not broken from the proposed VR scenarios. We have ensured instead that both new and old scenarios can co-exist, e.g. a user can work in a desktop client if he or she does not have a VR headset.
Moreover, a detailed review of existing software allowed us to find open-source software inside EU such as software by Speckle Systems UK, allowing us to speed up the developments, increase PrismArch collaboration network and build up future collaboration potentials.
The proposed interconnection architecture is also finalized, concluding on the methodology for Synchronous and Asynchronous collaboration among disciplines in a VR environment. This may add an extra level of complexity, it provides though the benefit to designers to be able to work on the same model live (synchronous) or non-live (asynchronous) in VR.
Fully described in project’s confidential deliverable D4.1 “Two-way communication protocol for interconnecting PrismArch with BIM/CAE-Simulation software”, the aggregated knowledge from this work will soon be available in scientific papers to be published during the next months.