Alban Denoyel, CEO of Sketchfab, wrote a blog post in which he announced the release of some new apps to demonstrate the potential capability of visualizing 3D models in virtual reality (VR) online. They are available for Google Cardboard, Samsung’s Gear VR, HTC Vive and Facebook’s Oculus Rift headsets.
Denoyel revealed that the purpose of the apps was to create a “curated showcase of models,” enabling users to “browse the entire Sketchfab gallery in VR.”
If you’ve never used Sketchfab, it’s an online repository for viewing 3D models on the Internet. There is a great collection of 3D scans. It’s also WebVR compatible, which means that you can view uploaded 3D models for viewing in VR on your laptop or desktop computers. In fact, Sketchfab was integrated into Facebook last year, so it makes sense that Facebook would want even more cross-platform functionality by integrating with the Oculus platform. The Web VR viewer isn’t as high quality an experience as Sketchfab’s app through a VR headset though.
There are situations in which having access to a platform that allows you to share your scans and 3D models can come in handy. As VR continues to become more ubiquitous, this is one of the easiest ways users can visualize certain design concepts without having to be in the same room.
To access Sketchfab’s VR capabilities on mobile phones, use a WebGL-enabled browser and go to any model. Place your phone in a Cardboard VR viewer. If you’re using Gear VR, enable WebVR in Samsung Internet. You can view any model by opening it and clicking the VR button.
For desktops and laptops, use Google Chrome with WebVR, hit the VR button and you’re ready to use HTC Vive or Oculus Rift to view your chosen model.