2019 In Review: Oculus Quest Accessibility Shines in AEC
Since launching in May of 2019 the Oculus Quest has gained significant traction among InsiteVR’s architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) users. The Quest has set a gold standard for standalone VR — wireless, portable VR that doesn’t need a PC to run. Despite its limited horsepower, the Quests’ ease of use enables more architecture and construction professionals to use VR as a better way to review BIM. With the year coming to an end we wanted to provide an update on how the Quest has already impacted InsiteVR customers and why it’s poised to become the tool of choice in 2020.
Growth of Standalone VR in AEC
Early in 2019 the only standalone VR option was the Oculus Go — an inexpensive, wireless, 3 degree of freedom VR headset. Nearly 30% of InsiteVR activity was on the Go. Since May, the Quest has grown to dominate InsiteVR activity with an overwhelming 63% of VR activity coming from the Quest. The Go and the Quest account for 72% of all VR engagement within InsiteVR. This growth is a testament to the Quest’s ease of use and the power of the Quest coupled with InsiteVR’s purpose-built VR workflows for AEC.
Our commitment to standalone VR is stronger than ever. We’re ready to equip more offices and job sites with the tools and support necessary to maximize the ROI of VR.
What the Pros Are Saying
In June we asked several AEC pros about the impact they predicted Oculus Quest could have on their daily workflows. We caught up with some of our Quest power users to see what they had to say after 7 months with the hardware.
Andy Leek, VP Technology & Innovation, PARIC Corporation
“The Oculus Quest is now our go-to VR device for BIM review because there are no cords, minimal cost, and great visualizations!”
What surprised me most about the Oculus Quest was…
“how easy new users could get up and running, and how clear and accurate the tracking is within InsiteVR.
The Oculus Quest is perfect for…
“BIM review because there are no cords, minimal cost, and great visualizations!”
In the next version of the Oculus Quest I hope to see…
“our virtual designs overlaid with the real world, context is everything. The line between AR and VR is getting blurred, and these devices could truly be used for both types of visualization to bring continuity to our teams and their workflows both in the office and in the field.”
My advice for anyone looking to use a Quest in AEC workflows is…
“the time is now, so stop waiting for the technology to be ‘ready.’ It is ready right now!”
Evan Reilly, Innovation & VDC Engineer, Skanska
“Once team members get familiar with the hardware setup and exploring a model using InsiteVR, they will keep coming up with new creative uses.”
What surprised me most about the Oculus Quest was…
“How simple and quick it was to setup for our construction teams to use for weekly meetings. After being in charge of setting up several VR demos in the past with the HTC Vive, complete with sensors, power cords, tripods and other hardware accessories, it was pretty painless to pull out our Quest headsets and jump into the meeting.
We had several team members who were new to VR that joined our meetings, and it only took them a few minutes to get oriented to using the Quest and InsiteVR. After our brief initial training session, everyone felt comfortable with the new virtual environment and got back to work exploring the model and discussing potential design and construction issues.”
The Oculus Quest is perfect for…
“multiple users exploring a model together during a meeting. I see a lot of potential in supplementing traditional BIM coordination meetings with multi-user VR sessions for the most complex areas in our projects in terms of MEP systems and accessibility. Even though we aren’t always able to be in the same physical room, we can discuss issues as a group and come to a shared understanding by working better together in a virtual environment.”
My advice for anyone looking to use a Quest in AEC workflows is…
“once team members get familiar with the hardware setup and exploring a model using InsiteVR, they will keep coming up with new creative uses.”
Kevin Lesniak, Technology Specialist, Toll Brothers
“Find the portion of your process that requires an understanding of the 3D space, and leverage the Quest there.”
What surprised me most about Oculus Quest was…
“how easy it was to setup and learn how to use. We have been able to quickly and effectively train new personnel on how to use the Quest and see them using it in the office with ease.”
The Oculus Quest is perfect for…
“quick, iterative, collaborative meetings and working discussions. Being able to jump into a 3D environment where a team can comment, mark-up and discuss a design all within the actual 3D model helps expedite the design, review and revision process.”
In the next version of the Oculus Quest I hope to see…
“improved visual quality/FOV and advanced AR capabilities. The closer we can get to hardware mimicking the real-world, the more accurate our evaluation of digital models will become. Having the ability to incorporate AR into the workflow provides a unique opportunity to leverage physical models and lots.”
My advice for anyone looking to use a Quest in AEC workflows is…
“to find the portion of your process that requires an understanding of the 3D space, and leverage the Quest there. The ability to quickly and easily enter a 3D representation of what is typically a 2D design or a 3D design shown on a 2D display allows designers, architects, construction managers, etc. to have a more complete understanding of how different components of the design interact and how the decisions they are making impact the entire AEC process.”
Jack Riley, BIM Manager, Stucky Ltd.
“The sessions with InsiteVR have radically changed how we interact with each other.”
What surprised me most about Oculus Quest was…
“the speed and accuracy of the movements as well as the ease of connectivity, and in addition it has never made me feel seasick (many other headsets have).”
The Oculus Quest is perfect for…
“multiple members in sessions (like InsiteVR), visualizing our models, or just having some leisure time playing a game of ping-pong against a colleague on the other side of the globe”
In the next version of the Oculus Quest I hope to see…
“A higher resolution, longer battery life, a more comfortable foam around face reducing red marks and pressure on face.”
My advice for anyone looking to use a Quest in AEC workflows is…
“Don’t hesitate, don’t wait, go for it! More seriously, it will take time getting use to, getting people involved in the workflow and habit of using, at first a lot of people will probably see it as a toy, a gadget, but once implemented on their project the mindset changes and suddenly the project members see and understand the potential behind this new technology.
The sessions with InsiteVR have radically changed how we interact with each other. It greatly facilitates understanding the model when we can all speak in front of an object that we can all visualize and interact with.”
Oculus Quest Will Dominate AEC in 2020
Recently, the Oculus Quest release has been backed up by impressive software updates: hand tracking will lower the learning curve for those new to VR, Oculus Link lets you circumvent the limitations of the Quest by tethering it to a PC, and the Oculus for Business platform will let companies easily manage enterprise VR deployments. Coupled with InsiteVR’s industry-specific tools and integrations — from Navisworks to BIM 360 — the barrier is significantly lowered for project teams to use VR to prevent RFIs and expensive change orders. With a focus on optimized performance through the GearVR and Oculus Go days, InsiteVR is designed to deliver a best-in-class VR experience on standalone VR devices.
All the complementary software for the Oculus Quest has made it the best choice for construction teams looking to deploy VR into their workflows throughout design, pre-construction, coordination, and even safety and logistics planning.
