Cityplanning XR

CityPlanningXR is a digital tool that uses extended reality (XR) – that is, virtual and augmented reality – to present construction and urban planning projects in a vivid and immersive way. Instead of relying on difficult-to-understand plans, users can experience projects directly in the space, explore them intuitively, and better understand them.

Close up

A central goal of the project is to rethink citizen participation. Users can navigate future construction projects on their own and provide feedback directly within the application—simply, intuitively, and without any detours.

Not only does this ensure greater transparency, but it also helps reduce misunderstandings. After all, when people can experience a project spatially, they grasp the connections, dimensions, and potential impacts more quickly.

The goal is to make democratic citizen participation simpler, more accessible, and more transparent. Information, interaction, and feedback are consolidated into a single application so that all data can be used as easily as possible. AI-powered features help efficiently analyze and summarize this feedback without distorting the content.

But experts and decision-makers also benefit from the clearer presentation of planning statuses, enabling them to coordinate efforts more efficiently.

Pilot Project

The City of Leipzig is participating in our project and providing us with an initial use case. Specifically, this involves the new “Heiterblick-Süd” district in the east of Leipzig. The idea is to combine new housing with green spaces and social infrastructure to ensure sustainable and forward-looking neighborhood development.

The city is providing us with planning and inventory data, including 3D data, and supports us with regular updates on the current planning status. In addition, it is actively involved in the requirements analysis and software testing, contributing its expertise in urban planning processes. The city is also involved—as much as possible—in future public relations efforts and helps integrate the application effectively into existing structures and processes.

Teamwork

CityPlanningXR is a research project scheduled to run for approximately two years and is part of the XR Interaction Network. Together with our partners, we aim to develop a scalable solution that can be used in public and private planning processes over the long term.

Our consortium partners are:

• compl3te GmbH,
• TU Chemnitz,
• Hochschule Mittweida,
• Stadtplanungsamt Chemnitz,
• Innovationsnetzwerk XR-INTERACTION

The project is funded by the Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB), the European Union, and the Free State of Saxony.

Thumbnail created with Adobe Firefly

Der Beitrag CityPlanning XR erschien zuerst auf LEFX.

Modular VR Engine Training

Power of VR

Anyone who has experienced how quickly complex tasks become routine in VR understands why immersive training is indispensable in industry. Our VR Engine Training proves that this is not just marketing hype, but real results: an application that demonstrates what is possible when you consistently harness the potential of this technology to develop a well-designed, modular training framework.

Start your Engines – Scale it Up

It all began with a collaboration between Volkswagen and the Volkswagen engine plant in Chemnitz: a virtual training program that guides employees through the assembly of a modern internal combustion engine. The application demonstrated that VR training works in industry, that it makes technically complex content accessible, and that it improves learning processes in the long term. But for us, it was the starting point for something bigger…

Framework Changes Everything

Based on this experience, we have redesigned our virtual training using our XR Training Framework. The framework is based on VR Builder, an open-source extension for Unity developed by MindPort.
This approach eliminates the need to develop training processes from scratch, allowing them to be assembled from a growing library of proven building blocks. These can, of course, also be customized and expanded.

A single figure illustrates what this means in practice: Our modular training was rebuilt in less than a month. Without the framework, the same effort would have taken approximately 60–70% more time.

Build it Visual

What makes working with the VR Builder unique is its visual workflow editor. Training processes are not created in code here, but as a node graph. This means that each step is created as a separate node, assigned actions, and linked to the next step via conditions. This allows even complex workflows to be clearly structured, modified later, and further developed by different teams—all without requiring in-depth programming knowledge.

Since the platform is built on an open API, it is ready for what comes next: AI-powered tools that can further automate and accelerate training creation.

Run Anywhere

Enterprise-ready. Device-agnostic. Ready to use.

Whether in a training center, at a trade show, or right on the factory floor, the training adapts to the existing hardware—not the other way around. Thanks to OpenXR, our application runs on all popular headsets—from PC VR systems to Meta Quest 2 and 3, all the way to PICO 4 and PICO 4 Ultra—meaning all standalone devices, without a PC and without annoying cables.

This isn’t just a minor technical detail. It means that companies don’t have to invest in a specific ecosystem of devices; instead, the application can adapt to any existing infrastructure.

Modular. Scalable. Cost-effective.

What sets a framework apart from a good individual project is its reusability. This eliminates the need for a one-time development effort that may not pay for itself in the end. Instead, we offer a framework that becomes better and more cost-effective with every new training session!

Each training course builds on existing development. That’s why all building blocks, logic, and interaction patterns are available for new projects, reducing development costs with every subsequent application. Whether it’s robotics training, maintenance training, or safety instruction: what has been proven today in motor assembly can be applied to any industrial process tomorrow.

Key to Success

Rapid development, wide-ranging applications, lasting learning outcomes—all while reducing costs per training session.
That’s how we use open-source technology to develop scalable, modular, and immersive training applications for any process.

Curious about what our XR Training Framework can do for your training environment? Then get in touch with us!

Der Beitrag Modular VR Engine Training erschien zuerst auf LEFX.

Medieval Diorama

Why create a virtual world when the State Garden Show is all about exploring real gardens? It’s simple: with our project, we bring to life a part of the site that would otherwise remain hidden without digital support. The remains of a medieval settlement were discovered on the grounds, and we’re making them digitally accessible.

We’ll now show you how we’re creating a detailed and interactive 3D world from just a handful of archaeological data points.

First things first – the key facts about the project

Our client is the Thuringian State Garden Show Leinefelde-Worbis 2026. The project originated from a call for proposals and is intended as a digital complement to an accompanying exhibition. This will take the form of a stationary application as well as a mobile app.

Special Needs – The Minimalist Data Set

The sparse data set is definitely our biggest challenge in this project, as there is hardly any usable material aside from a few excavation findings. The settlement in question was abandoned as early as the Middle Ages, which is why there are only a few historical records.

Although the site was archaeologically surveyed once again in the run-up to the State Garden Show, unfortunately even these findings do not provide an ideal basis for creating an authentic and historically accurate reconstruction of the “Kirrode” site down to the last detail.

Go-to – good planning and a solid concept

Workflow

At first glance, all of this sounds like an enormous workload—but with a few clever tech tricks up our sleeve and well-established pipelines, it’s no problem. The magic words are “procedural generation” instead of “custom-made”—in other words, the automated creation of large, detailed 3D worlds. But don’t worry—despite this, our client certainly won’t be getting a run-of-the-mill, off-the-shelf solution.

Our framework functions like a modular system that allows for the rapid, automated generation of realistic landscapes with a high level of detail and high-performance rendering. To achieve this, we rely on tools such as Gaea, PCG, and Gaussian Splatting. This foundation is complemented by a custom-designed asset pack that can be flexibly integrated into any scene.
On top of that, of course, is our attention to detail, which lends each scene its unique character through targeted manual refinement.

And now for the action

Of course, it’s not enough for our medieval world to simply look stunning—we also need to bring it to life for visitors to the State Garden Show. That’s why there will be several ways to explore our interactive 3D experience.

First, there’s a first-person tour. Similar to Google Street View, you can stroll leisurely through the village and discover information along the way.

Second, there’s a mode where visitors can search for interesting locations from a bird’s-eye view. Thanks to selected viewpoints, they won’t miss any stunning shots or details in this mode either.

To ensure the application remains usable in the long term and to provide additional content for a younger audience, we’re taking gamification up a notch. We’re planning a third mode that uses playful quests to guide users to selected locations and, embedded within a short story, conveys knowledge about life in the Middle Ages.

There is also a mobile app. With this, visitors can experience a virtual walk through the medieval settlement in the form of a streamlined, browser-based 360° version of our 3D world.

Medieval Miniature – The Middle Ages in Small Scale

A visually appealing environment naturally invites visitors to linger and explore. We enhance this sense of immersion through a charming miniature aesthetic, created by the generous use of depth of field. Much like a model train layout, we create an interesting diorama that constantly draws the eye to new details, encouraging visitors to stay longer.

Work in Progress

We’re currently working full steam ahead on the project. That’s why this page will be filled with more content in the near future. So feel free to check back soon—or come to the State Garden Show in Leinefelde-Worbis starting April 23 and let us transport you back to the Middle Ages.

Der Beitrag Medieval Diorama erschien zuerst auf LEFX.