VIRTUOSO software development kit (VSDK) streamlines device interoperability and provides a standard framework for building XR interaction
Charles River Analytics today announced the release of its VIRTUOSO software development kit (VSDK) for Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.
VSDK on the Unreal Engine makes it possible for game developers to easily build rich XR content and ensure immersive experiences on any device. By employing standardized “code wrappers,” VSDK enables developers to treat all hardware devices as if they have the same programming interface, which means XR code only needs to be written once to apply to all hardware.
By eliminating the need to code the same application over and over again for each device, game developers can design and build one application for a range of XR devices, and use a single API for interaction across platforms. Originally designed to improve military medical training, the SDK empowers both expert and beginner developers to generate truly intuitive interactions with content through its naturalistic, action-driven system.
“Our goal at Charles River Analytics is to provide a next-generation interface that streamlines development and increases adoption without sacrificing the quality of the XR outcome,” said Dan Duggan, Software Engineer at Charles River Analytics. “This open source SDK is only the beginning for us. We’re looking for continuous feedback as we keep striving to make the developer experience better.”
VSDK can be applied to any virtual environment simulation and is resilient to future technology advances. Charles River’s collaboration with leading MR/VR/AR companies in the development of the SDK ensures that VIRTUOSO games and simulations can support the most cutting-edge haptic feedback and other devices the day they are released to market.
The extension of VSDK into the Epic Games ecosystem was supported through an Epic Games’ MegaGrant awarded in August 2020.
“Our collaboration with Epic has allowed us to bridge VSDK’s versatility with a powerful creation engine designed for the game developer community,” said Dr. Elaine B. Coleman, Vice President of Commercialization at Charles River Analytics. “We’re excited to see what developers will do with the VIRTUOSO SDK now that we have removed long-standing XR barriers. We expect this to vastly accelerate game development regardless of hardware choice and limitation.”
For more about VSDK, please visit https://cra.com/vsdk/ or explore it, open source, on GitHub, with guides, tutorials, and additional information.
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