5D Global Studio to Showcase Project at FMX Conference

OptiTrack motion capture technology is powering real-time visualization for the Al-Baydha project, developed by 5D Global Studio in partnership with the University of Southern California’s World Building Institute and the Al-Baydha Development Corporation. Al-Baydha, a 700 square kilometer region in Saudi Arabia home to nearly 3,000 tribal Bedouins, is an agrarian community on the verge of collapse due to livestock overgrazing. The goal of the Al-Baydha project is to empower the community by establishing a permanent, sustainable community infrastructure that can be maintained for generations to come. 5D will be showcasing the Al-Baydha project pipeline at the FMX Conference in Stuttgart, Germany from May 5-8.

5D specializes in world building, a practice combining digital design, virtual experiences, and interactive technologies in order to fully visualize the context surrounding a problem – and ultimately arrive at its solution. For the Al-Baydha project, 5D is conducting real-time design visualization in Unity, driven by Oculus Rift VR headsets and virtual camera rigs. These devices are tracked in real-time via OptiTrack’s Prime Series cameras and Motive software. Combined, the system enables users to traverse a virtual environment, interacting with structures, animals, and other humans to see how new sustainable initiatives like permanent housing, an agricultural rainwater collection system, and an agricultural co-op would be implemented.

“World building is really the perfect choice for the Al-Baydha project, because it allows the villagers and stakeholders to see and interact with the planned community before they sign on,” explained Alex McDowell, Creative Director, 5D. “This gives government officials more confidence in the proposed plans, plus it strengthens the community’s commitment to the project when they are able to get a virtual glimpse of the future and see how their sustainable homes, farms, and community centers will look. OptiTrack technology is user friendly and very low latency, which is key for tracking in real-time and building a successful interactive, immersive VR environment.”

“5D’s utilization of new media technologies for meaningful and sustainable problem solving is an illustration of how engineering that originates in the entertainment space can make a practical impact on global challenges,” commented Seth Steiling, Marketing Director, OptiTrack. “We’re looking forward to 5D’s demo at FMX, where attendees will be able to see how motion capture is helping innovative thinkers change the world through unconventional applications.”