FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to Information Handling Systems (IHSs), and, more particularly, to systems and methods for prototyping a virtual model.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is Information Handling Systems (IHSs). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

IHSs may be used to produce virtual, augmented, or mixed reality (xR) applications. The goal of virtual reality (VR) is to immerse users in virtual environments. A conventional VR device obscures a user's real-world surroundings, such that only digitally-generated images remain visible. In contrast, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) operate by overlaying digitally-generated content or entities (e.g., characters, text, hyperlinks, images, graphics, etc.) upon the user's real-world, physical surroundings. A typical AR/MR device includes a projection-based optical system that displays content on a translucent or transparent surface of an HMD, heads-up display (HUD), eyeglasses, or the like (collectively “HMDs”).

In various implementations, HMDs may be tethered to an external or host IHS. Most HMDs do not have as much processing capability as the host IHS, so the host IHS is used to generate the digital images to be displayed by the HMD. The HMD transmits information to the host IHS regarding the state of the user, which in turn enables the host IHS to determine which image or frame to show to the user next, and from which perspective, as the user moves in space.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of systems and methods for prototyping a virtual model are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a host processor and a memory coupled to the host processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: produce a virtual object for display by a Head-Mounted Device (HMD) coupled to the IHS during execution of a virtual, augmented, or mixed reality (xR) application; execute a command with respect to the virtual object to produce a manipulated virtual object displayed by the HMD; generate an electronic file in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, where the XML file describes the manipulated virtual object; and transmit the electronic file to a three-dimensional (3D) printer coupled to the IHS, where the electronic file enables the 3D printer to build a physical instance of the manipulated virtual object.

In various implementations, the virtual object may be displayed by the HMD as a digital image overlaid upon a user's natural visual perception of a surrounding physical environment. The command may include a gesture captured by the HMD. The gesture may move the manipulated virtual object to a print area of the 3D printer. The 3D printer may be displayed by the HMD as a digitally-generated image.

Additionally, or alternatively, the 3D printer may be naturally visible as part of a surrounding physical environment. For example, the 3D printer may include a fiducial mark. The fiducial mark further may include an infrared Light-Emitting Diode (LED). In those cases, the program instructions may cause the IHS to determine that the gesture places the manipulated virtual object in the print area based upon detection of a position of the fiducial mark in the user's Field-of-View (FOV).

The program instructions may cause the IHS to determine that the gesture places the manipulated virtual object in the print area based upon detection of a gaze focus matching a location of the print area. In some cases, the program instructions may also cause the IHS to: instruct the 3D printer to initiate reproduction of the physical instance of the manipulated virtual object; and overlay the virtual object over the physical instance concurrently with the physical instance being built by the 3D printer. The program instructions may further cause the IHS to convert the electronic file from the XML format to a 3D Manufacturing Format (3MF) format using an Application Programming Interface (API) prior to the transmission.

In another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a hardware memory device may have program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a hardware processor of a 3D printer, cause the 3D printer to: receive an electronic file corresponding to a manipulated virtual object from an IHS coupled to an HMD during execution of an xR application, where a virtual object is produced by the IHS during the xR application and the IHS is configured to execute a command with respect to the virtual object to produce a manipulated virtual object; and build a physical instance of the manipulated virtual object.

The virtual object may be displayed by the HMD as a digital image overlaid upon a user's natural visual perception of a surrounding physical environment. The command may include a gesture captured by the HMD, where the gesture moves the manipulated virtual object to a print area of the 3D printer. The program instructions, upon execution, may cause the IHS to determine that the gesture places the manipulated virtual object in the print area based upon detection of a position of one or more fiducial marks coupled to the printer and present in the user's FOV. Additionally, or alternatively, the program instructions, upon execution, may cause the IHS to determine that the gesture places the manipulated virtual object in the print area based upon detection of a gaze focus matching a location of the print area.

In yet another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment a method may include: producing a virtual object for display by an HMD coupled to the IHS during execution of an xR application; executing a command with respect to the virtual object to produce a manipulated virtual object displayed by the HMD; and transmitting an electronic file corresponding to the manipulated virtual object to a 3D printer coupled to the IHS, where the electronic file enables the 3D printer to build a physical instance of the manipulated virtual object. The method may include instructing the 3D printer to initiate reproduction of the physical instance of the manipulated virtual object; and overlaying the virtual object over the physical instance concurrently with the physical instance being built by the 3D printer. The method may also include converting the electronic file from an XML format to a 3MF format using an API.

