HANGAR
AR Jet Engine
The first activation we created was a large-scale augmented reality experience which allowed the public to explore a full scale, functioning F-35 jet engine. In 2017 there wasn't much precedent for the creation of an AR project of this scale, so Occurrent Arts was encouraged to explore different techniques for recognition, interaction, alignment, and rendering in order to develop a production process. Here's a capture from our first deployment at Daytona Beach:
Photogrammetry
We had the opportunity to visit the F-35 engine in person and photographed it from every angle to gather a dataset for photogrammetry to give us an accurately-scaled 3D digital replica to reference. Wildlife then used this 3D model to place and design animations for the engine’s key components, including turbines, the gearbox, and the augmentor window.
Alignment
We then placed physical labels on the engine to serve as reference targets for our augmented reality system, allowing accurate placement of the animations, geometry, and dynamic particle effects which we created to represent the airflow.
The final result was a robust large-scale iPad-based augmented reality experience which toured major events throughout the US for years, captivating and educating audiences about the powerful technology behind the aircraft used by the US Air Force.
Flight Line
In addition to the AR Jet Engine project we developed a gesture-based experience for The Hangar called Flight Line. The flight line is the area where aircraft are parked, maintained, and displayed. As aircraft navigate the flight line, the pilots are directed by Maintainers who use a specialized set of hand signals to communicate with them.
Using Unity and the Microsoft Kinect, we built an interactive system that teaches users the key gestures Maintainers use to direct the aircraft. The experience combines realistic video, audio, and haptic feedback to fully immerse users, capturing the energy and intensity of working as a Maintainer on the flight line.
