VIRTUOSO SDK (VSDK) is a free, open-source software development kit for prototyping and deploying extended reality (XR) experiences—from games, to training simulations, to experimental research trials.
VSDK is available free on GitHub as a complete project with no outside dependencies.
Developing experiences for XR—which includes augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR)—has historically been expensive and time-consuming. Custom assets, scenarios, and interaction methods must be created by expert XR developers, and when new devices and systems become available, they are not immediately interoperable with existing systems.
Charles River Analytics created VSDK to address these challenges. VSDK expedites the development of novel XR experiences while minimizing the associated risks. Originally built under the US Army VIRTUOSO project to create VR training for combat medics, VSDK can be used to rapidly prototype and deploy any immersive XR experience, including dynamic training scenarios that combine the immersive capabilities of VR with time- and event-based scripts.
When a training experience maps real-world interactions to a keyboard or mouse, the skills being learned are not physically reinforced; the learner must not just learn a skill, but also translate the training experience to real-world actions. A system with a naturalistic user interface can be used to create more effective virtual training experiences. The flexible haptic, gesture, and speech control libraries in VSDK can improve training results and enhance other XR applications.
At Charles River, we use VSDK in several of our own projects:
Because VSDK seamlessly incorporates so many leading commercial control and display peripherals, it can support training with the equipment best suited to a training task.
Simulations built using VSDK are also resilient to future technology advances; Charles River collaborates with leading AR/VR companies so that VSDK simulations can support the most cutting-edge haptic feedback devices as soon as they are released to market.
Currently supported devices and systems include:
VSDK is available free on GitHub, as a complete project with no outside dependencies.
Learn More
• Visit the VSDK YouTube Channel for tutorial videos.
• Find documentation and project-focused tutorials on the
VSDK GitHub Wiki.
• Download our VSDK brochure
VSDK has been awarded a MegaGrant
through EPIC games