Leonar3Do Brings Virtual Reality to 3D Design

Designers and engineers have a number of different options when it comes to developing a product. Commonly employed methods include creating a CAD file or scanning an existing object with a 3D scanner to compile a CAD file. Both of these options take a three dimensional object and render it in two dimensions, operating within the limits of standard technology.

Leonar3Do, a Hungarian startup, is ready to offer a different approach to 3D design by allowing people to actually design in 3D. The company’s proprietary technology uses imaging glasses and a stylus called the “Bird” as part of a virtual reality (VR) design space that creates objects in 3D.

“Leonar3Do’s vision has always been to breakout of the antiquated 2D mold and drive design innovation to empower how people can visualize, create and innovate their ideas they’ve imagined but in real, 3D space,” said Roland Manyai, Leonar3Do’s business development and marketing director.

Leonar3Do was founded in 2005 and continued development of its VR system through 2010, when it first began to sell kits to industry and educational users. Now, the system has been developed more thoroughly and Leonar3Do is offering its system to a wider audience in two different packages. Leoart targets designers and students, and Vimensio for teachers and students.

The system uses infra-red position detection in the form of three sensors mounted around the workspace. The glasses have built-in infra LEDs enabling head-tracking positioning, and the Bird is a spatial input device that allows users to create and interact with 3D VR images. An explanation for how this all works together can be found on the website:

The three sensors track the position of both the 3D glasses and the Bird and send this information to the central unit. The central unit transmits the received data to the computer and the Leonar3Do system software which generates, manages and displays the virtual reality environment produced in accordance with the data processed. The result is a complete 3D virtual reality environment. The user perceives the virtual object from any angle, as if it were real. With Leonar3Do’s modeling software, users can give physical attributes to virtual objects like changeable mass, gravity, impeccability, and rebounding.

The basic Leonar3Do package including glasses, sensors and bird costs $500. Software to run all that shiny hardware runs another $500 (and will work on a laptop). As far as development tools go, a grand isn’t that big of an investment for designers that are interested in buying into the VR experience. The company also offers a software development kit to further integrate the Leonar3Do system into your workplace.

Below you’ll find a video about Leonar3Do.

Source: Leonar3Do