XR Pilot Vehicle Interface
Developed experimental mixed reality cockpit interface for aviation applications using Unreal Engine 4. Created 3D spatial UI with gesture controls through rapid design iteration.
📋Overview
Developed experimental mixed reality interface concepts for next-generation vehicle cockpits using Unreal Engine 4 and HTC Vive Pro with passthrough cameras. The research project explored how XR technology could enhance pilot situational awareness and reduce cognitive load through innovative 3D spatial interfaces. The iterative design process involved close collaboration with pilots and subject matter experts through weekly feedback sessions. Each iteration incorporated lessons learned from operator testing, resulting in increasingly refined interaction patterns and information layouts that balanced information density with usability. Created custom Unreal Engine plugin architecture to support rapid prototyping of different UI concepts and interaction models, enabling the team to quickly validate design hypotheses with real users.
🎯Challenges
- •Designing 3D spatial UI that enhanced rather than distracted from primary flight tasks
- •Creating intuitive gesture controls that worked reliably in operational conditions
- •Managing information overload while displaying complex tactical and flight data in 3D space
- •Integrating with simulation environment and peripheral hardware for realistic testing
- •Iterating rapidly on concepts while incorporating feedback from subject matter experts
- •Balancing visual fidelity with performance requirements for real-time operation
💡Solutions
- ✓Developed modular UMG-based 3D widget system supporting rapid UI experimentation
- ✓Implemented gesture recognition with contextual activation zones to reduce false positives
- ✓Created information hierarchy system with progressive disclosure based on task priorities
- ✓Built flexible plugin architecture supporting hot-swappable peripheral integrations
- ✓Established weekly iteration cycle with structured feedback collection and prioritization
- ✓Optimized rendering pipeline to maintain consistent frame rates critical for VR comfort
🚀Outcomes & Impact
- ✓Completed 12+ design iterations informed by pilot feedback and testing
- ✓Validated key interaction concepts that influenced follow-on production programs
- ✓Demonstrated feasibility of XR interfaces for high-workload operational environments
- ✓Plugin architecture reused for 3 subsequent XR research projects
- ✓Published findings contributed to internal design guidelines for spatial interfaces
More Projects
Interested in Working Together?
I'm always open to discussing new projects and opportunities.
Get in Touch