Tablet VR

Controller for virtual reality tasks for execution of arbitrary experimental paradigms. The virtual environments (aka scenes) are displayed in several monitor tablets around the field of view of the subject.

Getting Started

Here's a short video showing how to run an example, assuming you fulfill the prerequisites:

Prerequisites

• MATLAB
• If using scenes provided
  • TabletVR.exe
• Otherwise, if compiling new scenes
  • Unity 3D
  • Android Studio
  • Java SDK
• Port UDP 32000 enabled in the firewall/network for MATLAB, Unity, and any future compilations.

Code was last built and tested with

• MATLAB R2018a
• Unity 2018.a.0f2
• Java JDK1.8.0_172
• Android Studio 3.1.2
  • Android SDK Platform 27 revision 3
  • Android SDK Build-Tools 28-rc2 version 28.0.0 rc2
• PC
  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPU: Intel i7-6700HQ
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Graphics: GEFORCE GTX 960M
  • SSD: Samsung SM951
• Tablets
  • OS: Android 5.0
  • SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 APQ8016

Installation

• Install MATLAB

  • Download library from repository and place the MATLAB folder under Documents folder.
  • Create/modify Documents/MATLAB/startup.m and put addpath('Tools');

• If creating new scenes

  • Install Java SDK. Add /bin to the System Environment Variables.
  • Install Android Studio.
  • Install Unity, adding support for Android.
  • Open Unity and create a new project.
  • Import the Unity package or add the <>source code for Unity.

• Otherwise

  • Run TabletVR.exe in your PC.
  • Run TabletVR.apk in each tablet.

• If using an Arduino in your treadmill

  • Run upload-firmware.vbs and follow instructions.

Testing scenes in Unity

• Add scenes to build settings.
• Open Main scene and hit play.

Deployment

• Add scenes to build settings.
• Open Main scene.
• Build for Android.
• Run TabletVR.apk in each tablet.

Usage examples

• Run TabletVR.exe or run the Main scene in Unity.
• Open MATLAB.
• Run the examples below.
• After each example, type delete(obj); to release resources.

Example 1 - Reuse task controller

obj = CircularMaze();
obj.start();

Example 2 - Reuse task controller

obj = LinearMaze();
obj.start();
obj.speed = 15;
pause(3);
obj.speed = 1;

Example 3 - Interact at a lower level

% Messages are communicated via UDP packages on port 32000.
obj = UDPSender(32000);
obj.send('scene,Classroom;enable,Menu,0;', '127.0.0.1');
for i = 1:10
	% Play a tone, show a blank, and pause.
	Tools.tone(1250, 0.5);
	obj.send('enable,Blank,1;', '127.0.0.1');
	pause(0.25);
	% Rotate camera randomly.
	obj.send(sprintf('rotation,Main Camera,0,%.2f,0;', 360 * rand), '127.0.0.1');
	% Play another tone, hide blank, and pause.
	Tools.tone(2250, 0.5);
	obj.send('enable,Blank,0;', '127.0.0.1');
	pause(1);
end

API Reference

While these libraries acquire better shape, read their documentation from within MATLAB by typing help followed by the name of any class (those files copied to Documents/MATLAB). Most classes list methods and properties with links that expand their description. For example, type help LinearMaze.

Version History

0.1.0

• TreadmillMaze.m moved to LinearMaze.m
• Tracker/GUI.m moved to Tracker.m
• Arguments to LinearMaze.m and CircleMaze.m are passed as key-value pairs, e.g., CircleMaze('com', 'COM4', 'monitors', {'127.0.0.1', 0, '192.168.1.100', 90})
• Initial Release: Library and example code

License

© 2018 Leonardo Molina

This project is licensed under the GNU GPLv3 License.