Unreal & Unity Haptic Design Tools

Unreal Engine 4 Tool

The purpose of this haptic creation tool is to enable designers and creatives to make and integrate haptics without the need for any programming. The layout is familiar to those with any timeline experience and can quickly be used to create and audition haptics on the fly. This tool supports multiple end points to simplify haptic design for multiple end points. Technical knowledge of actuators are not necessary due to the abstracted nature of the interface. Complex haptics can be generated and synced to discrete points within an animation to enable the most complex haptic sequences possible on a platform in a fraction of the time.

As the user experience lead on this project, I was responsible for the interaction flow and user interface requirements of this toolset. In addition, I coordinated with UX research to quickly iterate the design to make the UI as intuitive as possible.

This has been demonstrated publicly at both GDC 2017 and the SVVR Expo 2017 to accolade. Not only does this tool click with any developer that has seen it, but it has also been called "the missing link" for those trying to create complex and immersive VR experiences. Coverage can be found on UploadVR, Tom's Hardware, and Road to VR.

Unity Tool

An update to the UE4 tool, the Unity tool was designed to take advantage of the familiar standard timeline view. Notable features include an easy-to-use timeline editor, clip-specific curve editing for strength and pitch (if on an applicable endpoint), animation and audio import, and auto effect implementation when designed with animations. For the first versions, emphasis is placed on a higher rate of design and iteration. As an example, the design of all haptics in the space demo took a combined ten to twenty minutes to complete.

As with the UE4 tool, I am the sole designer on the project and am responsible for all facets of interactions and assets.