[C11] Print MR: The most direct path from idea to object.

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  PrintMR

THE STORY OF PRINT MR

The power of 3D printing is immense, but access to custom solutions has been limited by complex CAD software. We're breaking down that barrier. For the 25 million Meta Quest users, we're introducing a new, intuitive way to design.

This is PRINT MR. Our Mixed Reality application lets you design by drawing in the real world. You sketch an object directly in the space it belongs. Once you have built your 3D model, you can simply export it and send it to your 3D printer. With the touch of a button, you export your creation as a universal STL file, ready for any 3D printer. Stop getting stuck in paperwork, measuring and complex CAD software and start creating.

PRINT MR: The most direct path from idea to object.

How we built it

We used Unity 6 with C# & the Universal Render Pipeline to develop the demo. For the accuracy of making the 3D model, we used the Logitech Mx Ink stylus. This allowed us to place each corner of the 3D model at the right place. To enable all Meta Quest users without stylus we designed a cheap 3D printable pen attachment to the Quest controller. We wanted to run everything on-device, so creators can use these tools everywhere or on secure networks.

Challenges we ran into

Getting the Logitech Pen working was an issue at first. We had to make some manual adjustments in order to have it tracked in the project. After that being fixed, we tackled the challenge of making 3D models at runtime, something complex and relatively heavy to run. We optimised it to run in real-time on the Quest 3, which we are happy with. The biggest issue at the end is that the camera image of the Meta Quest 3 is not fully accurate to the real world. Objects that are placed very precisely can drift around up to 2 cm, which is very big if you need precise input. To work around this, we added a way to snap to the 3 positional axes, which allowed us to make a lot more accurate meshes. To make the system even more accurate, we would need to have better tracking persistence of the Meta Quest 3 or future devices.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Getting a 3D modelling tool built from scratch in Unity is definitely a highlight. Especially with just 1 dev managing the whole development pipeline, this was very complex and rewarding to build. It was great to see a model drawn in Mixed Reality printed out on location, to validate that our concept actually can work in the real world!

What we learned

Dylan had learned a lot about the user experience of 3D modelling tools. The initial version of the modelling tool was very simple and not user-friendly at all. With every new change, you could feel the tool becoming easier and easier, which was amazing! We also all learned of the tracking inaccuracies of the Meta Quest 3, which was a surprise to all of us, which we hope Meta will resolve in future software updates to make the drawing easier and more accurate, to never have a too large or a too small 3D print again.

What's next for Print MR

Because of the inaccuracies with the passthrough with depth estimation, we believe this is a go-to application for upcoming XR glasses with screens built in. This way you can truly build on the real world, instead of the digital representation. We will follow new devices and updated them properly to see if the accuracies in MR improve and which new device could support our vision. Implementation of the usage of the 3d printable pointer attachment to the Quest controller directly. Getting 3d objects from sites so you can add them to your drawings/ designs Octoprint plugin integration to directly activate the printer from headset Take picture and send to share how it would look like in the real world for feedback.

Built With

• c#
• meta
• unity