Conceptual Design Using Virtual Reality: Case Study with Portable Light

Abstract

In the creation of new products, the conceptual design is the key to generating valid and competitive ideas. In this paper, which applies Virtual Reality (VR) to the generation of new concepts, it is explored the generation of previous ideas through the modelling of virtual sketches. For this purpose, Gravity Sketch software has been used as a tool for conceptual design. Gravity Sketch allows the functional evaluation of the product, as the concepts are generated as 3D models that can be tested in the immersive VR environment. The case study focuses on the design of portable light concepts made in VR, which had subsequently been analysed and tested with several users who have entered the virtual environment. Users had been able to visualise the concepts and interact with them to test the product's grip and operation. The results obtained in this immersive study had been valuable for the final development of the product. Furthermore, the conceptual design applying VR technology allows for intuitive designs derived from the three-dimensional environment, reducing design time and the costs associated with prototyping.