flyingshapes° Launches Virtual Reality CAD Application

flyingshapes° has commercially launched a next-generation virtual reality CAD application targeted at streamlining 3D modeling and design for professionals working across industrial design, including product design, automotive, manufacturing, engineering, architecture, 3D printing and related fields. Available  for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, flyingshapes° introduces a VR CAD workflow for 3D spatial modeling in a fully immersive virtual environment, with intuitive haptic controls and interactive tools for sketching, surfacing and collaborating with teams on the cloud.

flyingshapes° is targeted at reducing time-consuming iteration cycles during prototyping and early stages of design, with a feature set developed to help professionals achieve more efficiency and accuracy in a 3D workspace, the company reports.

“We’re leveraging VR technology to solve the challenges and design bottlenecks that hinder traditional CAD workflows,” says Jonas Kunze, co-founder, flyingshapes°. “Lengthy iteration cycles, communication inefficiencies and discrepancies between the initial prototype and final model waste resources and can delay time to market for new products. We’ve engineered flyingshapes° to revolutionize design workflows and help teams maximize time spent perfecting models.”

“Our vision is to make CAD as accessible as an iPhone app,” says Dr. Johannes Mattmann, co-founder, flyingshapes°. “Traditional CAD applications have a steep learning curve and require designers to create 3D models in 2D workspaces. We’re disrupting classic CAD workflows by allowing designers to sketch 3D models to scale in a fully virtual environment, using their hands to build and manipulate objects.”

Powered by Unity real-time rendering on mid- to high-end NVIDIA or AMD GPUs, flyingshapes° is a 3D surface modeling tool that allows users to sketch, shape and refine high-end CAD models within a VR headset. Intuitive haptic controls enable users to mold and position objects with exact lines, curves and surfaces using hand gestures in an immersive 360-degree workspace. Precise measurement tools and positioning aids ensure accuracy, with real-time rendering updating the model in real time. Collaboration tools enable teams to work on projects around the world and share models for review and feedback. Approved, final models can be exported in CAD file formats for 3D printing or use with traditional CAD applications.  

flyingshapes° is available on Steam for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for a monthly subscription.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.