Today has already seen computer manufacturer HP make a couple of big virtual reality (VR) related announcements, with a new Windows Mixed Reality Professional Edition headset and a revamped HP Z4 Workstation. That’s not all the company has to offer on the VR side of things, announcing a collaboration with Unreal Engine on the creation of a VR Launch Kit for Unreal Engine.
HP created the kit as a way to help streamline and accelerate the VR development process. Features include compatibility with Epic Games’ Datasmith, a Workflow Toolkit for Unreal Engine that was introduced last year; a VR Performance Profiler making it easier for companies to determine the right computer configurations when they deploy their VR solutions, giving them benchmarks and reports that indicate before rendering whether the software will run well on targeted hardware.
There will also be optimisations for real-time performance and templates to provide cross-sectioning and exploded view functionality for models, helping creators get those models into VR – especially usefully for applications like vehicle models.
Lastly, for those companies new to VR development HP will be including two data sets for creators to play with first, a bike model (seen below) and an unbuilt Frank Lloyd Wright Trinity Chapel, which should teach them how to bring VR environments to life.
In addition to the VR Launch Kit for Unreal Engine announcement, HP has also extended its Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) offering to VR solutions. This is a modern service model that simplifies how commercial organisations equip users with the right hardware, support and lifecycle services to get the job done –improving end-user productivity, IT efficiency and cost predictability. The one-stop solution can not only equip customers with workstations but Windows Mixed Reality headsets as well, even third-party units.
DaaS is available now while HP’s VR Launch Kit for Unreal Engine will roll out this Spring via an Unreal Engine micro site. For any further updates from HP, keep reading VRFocus.