User Experience- and Design-Oriented Virtual Product Prototyping System

Abstract

This study proposes a virtual product prototyping system based on interaction of consumer and producer in terms of user experience and design. Prototyping is a necessary process in product development; however, after constructing a product model, it takes time and high costs to test its design and function. A virtual prototyping system using virtual reality technology has been introduced to address these drawbacks. However, it is primarily a producer-oriented one to test the component combination and functions of the product. We simulated the three-dimensional model data of a product in a virtual environment, and by allowing a user to manipulate virtual product directly and applied it to a virtual environment. We have designed and constructed a system that enables user experience-oriented prototyping. To facilitate usability testing of products in a virtual environment, this system provides a remote virtual environment based on the network system, which makes it possible to observe user behaviors in the form of a virtual showroom and conduct realtime surveys.