How to use Python for building a virtual reality-based meditation and relaxation app?
13/03/2024
•
5
min
Building a virtual reality-based meditation and relaxation app involves a lot of complexity and multi-disciplinary skills in both programming and 3D modelling. Here, we will focus on Python role and how to get started with building a basic VR application.
Creating a VR application in Python will need Pygame and PyOpenVR libraries. Pygame is typically used to create 2D games, but it provides the necessary functionality to deal with objects in space. PyOpenVR is a Python binding for OpenVR, which is an API and runtime that allows access to VR hardware from various manufacturers.
Step 1: Setting up your Environment
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Before you begin, make sure you have the necessary software installed, which includes Python and required libraries.
Step 1.1 Python Installation:
Download Python on your computer if you have not done that yet.
Step 1.2 Pygame Installation:
Pygame can be easily installed using pip. Type the following command into your terminal:
pip install pygame
Step 1.3 PyOpenVR Installation:
Again, PyOpenVR can be installed via pip:
pip install pyopenvr
Make sure you have SteamVR installed and properly set up, this is a requisite for PyOpenVR to function correctly.
Step 2: Setting Up the Application
When creating VR applications, you create a virtual space/container where your all virtual objects will exist. Using Pygame you can create such environment.
Here's an example of how to set up a display using Pygame:
import pygame
pygame.init()
display = (800,600) # in pixels
gameDisplay = pygame.display.set_mode(display, pygame.DOUBLEBUF|pygame.OPENGL)
Step 3: Creating a 3D Object
After setting up the environment, you need to create 3D objects. For a beginner's tutorial, let's make a pyramid:
import pygame
from pygame.locals import \*
from OpenGL.GL import *
from OpenGL.GLUT import *
from OpenGL.GLU import *
pyramid_points = [
[-1, -1, -1], # point 1
[1, -1, -1], # point 2
[1, 1, -1], # point 3
[-1, 1, -1], # point 4
[0, 0, 1] # point 5
]
Step 4: Rendering the 3D Object
Render the object to the display.
def Pyramid(points):
glBegin(GL\_TRIANGLES)
for point in points:
glVertex3fv(point)
glEnd()
glutInit()
DisplayMode = GLUT_SINGLE | GLUT_RGB
glutInitDisplayMode(DisplayMode)
glutCreateWindow(b"Pyramid")
glClearColor(0,0,0,0)
glutDisplayFunc(Pyramid)
glutMainLoop()
Step 5: Implementing VR Functionality
Now we move to implementing VR functionality using PyOpenVR. This part involves initializing the VR system and getting access to the VR headsets, processing VR events, rendering stereoscopic 3D views for headset and tracking user's head movement.
import openvr
openvr.init(openvr.VRApplication_Scene)
poses_t = openvr.TrackedDevicePose_t * openvr.k_unMaxTrackedDeviceCount
poses = poses_t()
While this is a rudimentary understanding of building a VR environment with Python, building a meditation and relaxation VR app would require you to incorporate calming 3D visuals, guiding voiceover, sounds and music and possibly some form of interaction that improves the immersive experience of the user. Developing a VR app can be fun and challenging. Working in a team with different skills in areas like Python, 3D modeling, sound design and UI/UX would increase the chance of building an amazing app.
You also need to follow best practices of software development - planning, designing, version controlling, testing, documenting and deploying. If you want to work seriously, learn about agile methodology of project development, learn Git, use GitHub for collaboration, write unit test cases in PyTest for your code and make sure to host your app at proper place, possibly with proper marketing strategies.
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