EXPLORE OUR INNOVATIONS

Revolutionizing Astronaut Communication

What is this proyect about?

SickoBalds is dedicated to leveraging VR technology to transform astronaut-family communication during space missions. Our project integrates volumetric video systems into a immersive simulated spaceship environment, providing astronauts with a lifelike way to connect with loved ones.

We’ve developed a custom VR application enabling users to navigate a short but high quality library of volumetric videos with intuitive controls: play, pause, stop, and skip forward or backward. This system operates seamlessly within a meticulously designed spaceship simulation, ensuring a realistic and practical testing environment.

Through innovative solutions and technical precision, SickoBalds is setting a new standard for emotional support in space exploration.

Goals and Requirements

Our Goal

At SickoBalds, our primary objective is to revolutionize astronaut communication by integrating volumetric video technology into virtual reality (VR). Through this innovation, we aim to:

Enhance Emotional Connections: Provide astronauts with an immersive, lifelike way to stay connected during long-term space missions.
Support Mental Health: Leverage VR to alleviate the psychological toll of isolation, fostering emotional well-being and reducing stress.
Demonstrate Practical Use: Showcase the feasibility of this technology through an intuitive VR application and simulated space environments.

Identified Needs

Astronauts face unique challenges during missions, particularly regarding emotional and psychological health. Our project addresses these critical needs:

Overcoming Isolation: Astronauts spend months or even years away from family, leading to feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
Improving Current Communication: Traditional 2D video calls lack depth and fail to convey the physical presence of loved ones, which is essential for emotional support.
Ensuring Practical Feasibility: Developing a solution that is lightweight, reliable, and operable in confined environments like spacecraft.
Providing a Human-Centric Solution: Placing the mental health of astronauts at the forefront of technological innovation.

Our Solution

By merging volumetric video capture with VR, our project bridges the gap between technology and emotional support. Astronauts can interact with high-quality 3D videos of their loved ones, presented in a realistic simulated environment. The result is a transformative communication experience that meets both the practical and psychological needs of astronauts in space.

Challenges and Solutions During Development

During the development of our project, we encountered several challenges that required innovative solutions and external support to overcome. Below is a detailed account of the primary difficulties and how we addressed them:

Familiarity with the Ithaca Software and Unity Integration
- Challenge: At the beginning of the project, our team lacked familiarity with the Ithaca volumetric video software and how to properly import its outputs into Unity. As a result, we were unable to integrate the recorded videos into the development environment effectively.
- Solution: To maintain progress, we utilized pre-recorded test videos provided by Ithaca as placeholders while we studied the integration process. This allowed us to continue developing the environment and user interface while troubleshooting the software's compatibility.
Configuration Errors During Recording
- Challenge: When we attempted to record our own volumetric videos, the software's configuration settings were not optimized. This led to unusable outputs, further delaying the implementation of original content into the project.
- Solution: We refined the recording setup and continued using test videos until we could ensure proper configuration for recording usable holographic videos.
Linking JSON Files and Visual Alignment Issues in Unity
- Challenge: Once we successfully recorded videos that could be used, we encountered issues linking the JSON metadata files to the video content in Unity. This resulted in holographic models that appeared misaligned or incomplete.
- Solution: We contacted Ithaca’s technical team, who provided us with an updated package that automated much of the linking process. However, a new obstacle arose: the lack of essential “XY Table” files, which are crucial for extracting calibration data from the cameras and ensuring accurate visualization of the holograms.
Acquiring and Implementing Camera Calibration Data
- Challenge: The missing calibration files were essential for rendering a complete and accurate hologram in Unity. Without them, the holographic models appeared distorted or incomplete.
- Solution: We revisited the chroma studio where the videos were recorded, retrieved the calibration files directly from the Ithaca software, and integrated them into the project. This resolved the alignment issues and allowed us to present a coherent and full holographic model.
Final Adjustments and Scene Interactions
- Challenge: After resolving the major technical issues, we focused on refining the prototype, implementing additional functionality such as video playback controls, and finalizing the simulated spaceship environment. Minor issues persisted, requiring collaboration with Ithaca’s team to ensure stability and usability.
- Solution: With the support of Ithaca’s technical team, we completed the final adjustments and successfully showcased a fully functional prototype with an intuitive user interface and a realistic holographic experience.

Through perseverance and collaboration, we overcame a series of technical challenges involving software unfamiliarity, misconfigurations, metadata linking, and calibration errors. Each step in the process enhanced our understanding of volumetric video technology and Unity integration, allowing us to deliver a polished and innovative solution.