Sonali Kumar created this 3-D model of the Blueroof Cottage using AutoDesk’s Revit virtual reality imaging tool a Unity gaming engine. See Unity’s 3-D website: http://unity3d.com/create-games/?gclid=CPnkpYKZnK0CFVCR7QodWnKPnw.

As the authoritative Wikipedia notes: ”

A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers. The core functionality typically provided by a game engine includes a rendering engine (“renderer”) for 2D or 3D graphics, a physics engine or collision detection (and collision response), sound, scripting, animation, artificial intelligence, networking, streaming, memory management, threading, localization support, and a scene graph. ”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_engine

What does this mean and how does it apply to the problem of designing low-income housing for disabled and elderly Pennsylvanians, Americans, and citizens of the world.?

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Developing an experienced-based design review application for healthcare facilities using a 3d game engine

From The Journal of Information Technology in Construction (Icon). a peer-reviewed scholarly journal on the use of IT in architecture, civil engineering and facility management.

PUBLISHED: January 2011

EDITOR: Turk Z

Sonali Kumar, Graduate Research Assistant,
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
[email protected]

Matthew Hedrick, Graduate Student
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
[email protected]

Christopher Wiacek, Graduate Student
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA [email protected]

John I. Messner, PhD The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
[email protected]

SUMMARY:Virtual Prototypes are increasingly being used during design reviews of specialized buildings such as healthcare facilities. However, most of these virtual prototyping approaches do not allow the reviewers and end users to interact directly, in real-time with elements and objects within the virtual model. This paper focuses on a method to combine the use of 3D game engines with the emerging experience based design approach for healthcare facilities to develop a systematic approach to scenario-based design review of healthcare facilities in an interactive virtual environment. First, a virtual facility prototyping framework for rapid creation of a scenario based design review system is defined. Next, strategies to implement this framework to develop an Experience based Virtual Prototyping Simulator (EVPS) application are described. Design information workflows were developed and tested between various BIM authoring tools and the Unity game engine that is used for developing the interactive virtual prototype system. Finally, some lessons learned and issues are highlighted that help direct future research and implementation.

For complete text see: http://www.itcon.org/cgi-bin/works/Show?2011_6

–From Special Report: Use of Gaming Technology in Architecture, Engineering and Construction.

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Sonali Kumar on television

Here Sonali discusses a virtual reality model she is creating for a new children’s’ hospital at Hershey Medical Center by the Fox affiliate WPMT Channel 43 serving York, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Lebanon, PA. The program aired Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at 10pm.
http://www.fox43.com/health/building-blocks/

Scroll to the right to building blocks dated 3/6.