In March 2021, I got contacted by the founder of the immersive startup VRetro. Their business case: touristic binoculars … with VR!
When we first met, a lot of conceptual and software work had already been done and their current state was that they were getting funding for prototypes and preparing for a big public test run in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin. The tech demo they had on their VR headset looked nothing but spectacular. The only downside, it was hard for people to grasp how this would look and feel, not being strapped to your head but mounted on a pillar in front of a sightseeing attraction.
To fill in this gap, I started to mock up a prototype of a 3D printable enclosure for their VR hardware to have a full size physical prototype at hands. After getting their approval that I was on the right track (as well as one of their VR devices to get all the measurements right) I started to refine the prototype to a state where it would fit all of their requirements.
These were:
- Should fit their VR hardware snugly
- Recognizability that this was a pair of touristic binoculars
- Able to hold a power bank for additional battery life
- A sturdy mounting point for a standard 4/3” screw
- Accessibility of the buttons
- Some nice handlebars for good controllability
This is the final design I came up with. To overcome the size limitation of standard 3D printers, I decided to split up the CAD model into 3 separate parts that could then get joined back together with a press fit and some screws:
And here is what the first fully 3D printed prototype looks like:
As soon as the pandemic situation is getting better, they will announce a date at which the prototype can be publicly tested in front of the Brandenburg Gate. I will share the date here on this page.
If you are looking for a developer who can help you with the design and 3D printing of your gadget project, I would be happy to collaborate with you. Please contact me using this link.
