McIntosh

Larry Singleton
Architectural Drawing & Design - 10th - 12th grade
singleton.larry@mail.fcboe.org

Virtual Reality - Autodesk Revit in Oculus Rift

Student Impact: 40-50 each year for several years
Amount Requested: $500.00 Expenditure requirements above the $500.00 Mini Grant
amount will be earned by students with an FCBOE approved fund raising activity or
covered by regular program materials & supply funds.
Applicable to: Individual classroom
Project Objectives:
Virtual reality technology is emerging rapidly in business and industry. Designs of
environments to be built can be demonstrated with a level of realism previously
impossible with 2D plans and video walk-throughs. This project will give students hands
on exposure to this technology and the opportunity to visualize their own architectural
models in a virtual reality experience. When a model is reviewed in this way design
problems and shortcomings become apparent and can be corrected by revisions to the
CAD model.
Project Description:
Overview: Students in the 2nd & 3rd year of the Architectural Drawing & Design
Pathway will prepare an Autodesk Revit model of a home or building and experience a
virtual 3D walk-through of their designs with the Oculus Rift headset technology. 1.
Students will design an architectural model using hand sketching and the Autodesk Revit
CAD software per the parameters given for the project. 2. After preliminary conceptual
design scaled sketches are assessed and improved, rough designs of walls, roof, stairs,
doors and windows in Revit are assessed and improved, students will finalize their CAD
designs and import them into the Oculus Rift platform for viewing in virtual reality. This
will provide an additional opportunity for assessment that will reveal design problems
that may not have been obvious previously. For example issues of inadequate headroom
for stairs, or in bonus rooms. 3. After improvements are made and designs are finalized
the students will add lighting, furniture and accessories to their models for an even more
realistic virtual walk-through. The final assessment at this stage of the project will
compel students to perfect their models. 4. The process will result in production of a
digital file with an embedded player that students will add to their digital portfolios and
share with anyone who wants to take an "tour" of their model on any computer with a
mouse and the ASDW keys on a keyboard.
Standards Addressed:

AC-ADDI-4 Prepare residential floor plans 4.6 Demonstrate the use of the
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software.4.6 related to residential floor plans problem
solving. AC-ADDI-5 Research roof systems, styles and terminology 5.5 Demonstrate the
use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software related to problem solving roof systems.
AC-ADDI-6 Prepare elevations for residential drawings. 6.4 Demonstrate the use of
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software related to preparing elevations for residential
drawings. AC-ADDI-9 Maintain a course portfolio. 9.1 Complete a set of residential
house plans incorporating course standards (ongoing). 9.2 Report summary reflections on
the design processes utilized throughout the course. 9.3 Include ancillary assignments
created throughout the course necessary to demonstrate mastery of standards. ACADDII-2 Demonstrate and explain the preparation of site plans. 2.4 Demonstrate the use
of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software related to preparing site plans. AC-ADDII-6
Create a project presentation for a building 6.6 Generate a presentation using a virtual
walk-through on a house (optional dependent upon software capabilities). 6.7
Demonstrate the use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software related to creating
project presentations. AC-ADDII-7 Maintain a course portfolio 7.1 Complete a set of
residential house plans incorporating course standards (ongoing). 7.3 Report ancillary
assignments created throughout the course necessary to demonstrate mastery of
standards.
Grant innovation:
This is innovative simply because it is focused on an emerging area of technology.
This equipment will serve the curriculum for several years. Certainly newer and better
technology will emerge, but the students at McIntosh will benefit from this Mini Grant
for several years to come.
Measurement of Results:
A post-course survey of students will ask them to evaluate the various projects
undertaken throughout the course. This project will be assessed against other project
assignments that did not utilize this technology. Student engagement and enjoyment is a
valid indicator of success in rigorous, real-world project based learning activity.
Expenditures:
The Oculus Rift Developer Kit (information at this link:
https://www.oculus.com/order/ ) costs $350.00 A graphics card like the NVIDIA
Geoforce GTX 970 that meets the system requirements will cost $290.00 - 340.00 more.
A 500 watt power supply for the graphics card will cost $20.00 - 30.00.
$500.00
Support:

Funds allocated to CTAE courses from FCBOE for materials and supplies are
generally $1000.00 - $1500.00 per teacher. A student fundraiser would be the preferred
method to subsidize the grant, but the available funds could also be used to cover the
overage with only a minor reductions in regular materials and supplies.
$160.00 - 220.00
TOTAL COST: $660.00 - 720.00