In the past week I have started developing a Virtual Reality version of the SaD (Strike and Dip) Tool. For information on the development of the original version of the SaD Tool please visit the following link:
Developing the SaD (Strike and Dip) Tool
Unlike the original version of the SaD Tool, the VR version will require the user to have access to a VR headset such as the HTC Vive or the Oculus Quest. The goal of creating a VR version of the SaD Tool is to give the user a more immersive and intuitive learning experience. The hands on nature of the VR version conveys a much more authentic learning environment for the user. Below I will detail some of the elements of the SaDVR Tool, as well as explain how these features differ from those in the original SaD Tool.
The Compass
In the Vr version of this tool the user manipulates the compass tool by reaching out and grabbing it using one of the VR controllers, instead of having to manipulate the compass through sets on dials and buttons on a 2D control panel. This allows the user to get a more immersive impression of how to physically orienting a compass along a geologic outcropping when taking strike and dip measurements. The hope is that the material learned in this program will more easily translate to taking field measurements in real world environments later on, since the hands on nature of the movements involved are much more memorable and engaging than simply clicking buttons on a 2D screen.
A short demo video of the compass tool being used in the SaDVR Tool project can be viewed at the following link:
SaDVR (strike and Dip VR) Tool Demo Video
SaD Example Tool
The second tool I implemented into the SaDVR Tool project was the SaD Example Tool. This tool is a rectangular grey cube with a large purple outline of a right hand visible on it’s face. Hovering just above the center of this hand outline is a demo set of strike and dip arrows. The purpose of this tool is to help the user visualize where the strike and dip measurements are located when using the right hand rule measurement style. This tool acts like a guide for the user when preparing to measure the strike and dip of the face of a geologic outcrop. To use this tool the user places the grey rectangular plane of the tool flat along the rock face they would like to measure. Then they can rotate the tool so that the dark blue arrow runs parallel to the ground and the light blue arrow runs parallel to the rock face along the downward slope of the outcrop. Once this tool is positioned correctly, the user can use the compass tool to measure the strike along the dark blue arrow and the dip along the light blue arrow.
The Beginners Tool
The next tool I created for this project is a new tool which is unique to the VR version of the SaD Tool project. This new tool is called the Beginners Tool. While I researched the basics of what strike and dip measurements are in order to create this project, I encountered numerous resources which stated that learning the basics of what strike and dip are is often a very challenging topic for many students. In order to try to convey these ideas in the simplest possible form, I decided to make a tool that would in some ways auto correct itself. My hope was that this would avoid some of the potential confusion around learning the basics of strike and dip.
A demo video of the Beginners Tool can be found at the following link:
SaDVR Beginners Tool Demo Video
The tool I created is a set of strike and dip arrows similar to the sets drawn by the SaD compass tool when measurements are taken, or to the set of arrows displayed on the face of the SaD Example Tool. This set of arrows can be grabbed by the user and moved around the environment as a connected unit. The auto correcting I mentioned earlier comes into play in the form of a self leveling function I created for the strike arrow, and a limited range of motion hinge function that has been applied to the dip arrow. As the user moves the strike arrow around the environment this arrow auto corrects its position, alloying it to always remain parallel to the ground. This allows the user to rotate the strike arrow to face any direction they would like without the risk of skewing the measurement vertically. The dip arrow is connected to the strike arrow, so no matter how the user moves the strike arrow, the dip arrow will always remain at a 90 degree angle to the right of the direction the strike arrow is pointing. This avoids the user measuring a dip with an inaccurate dip direction relative to the direction of the strike measurement. Once the user has positioned the strike arrow correctly along the face of an outcrop they can then grab and rotate the dip arrow down to match the slope of the outcrop. The rotation of the dip arrow is on a hinge with a limited range of motion. This prevents the user from rotating the dip arrow any higher than level with the strike arrow, or any lower than 90 degrees directly down from the strike arrow. This prevents the user from taking a vertical dip measurement by rising the dip arrow above the strike arrow or from taking a dip measurement with an inaccurate dip direction by rotating the dip arrow too far under the strike arrow.
Hopefully the simplicity of this auto correcting Beginners Tool will help the user grasp the basics of strike and dip measurements. With any luck, after a little practice on this tool the user will feel comfortable moving on to using the compass tool to attempt to take some strike and dip measurements themselves.