To create virtual, interactive scenarios with a high level of realism and performance, losci turned to Oneiros, a Milan-based creative technology company that specializes in the production of ultrarealistic, next-gen experiences. Together, losci and Oneiros were tasked with creating a digital twin of the Cobra Arcade – full of vintage video games and pinball machines – in downtown Phoenix, Arizona.
The arcade was often packed with guests, leading the owner of the establishment to question how efficiently the space was being used. Simulating the environment would allow management to optimize the space, thereby improving traffic flow and increasing total sales.
The trial and error required to establish the most efficient design were bypassed by an immersive digital twin of the arcade built from 2D black-and-white CAD files and photographs. In only four weeks, losci and Oneiros were able to create a simulated environment to test all of their floor layout ideas. It began as a basic 3D model with 150 photos stitched together and progressed to a VR experience using a PC and the Meta Quest 2.
True to the nature of a digital twin, the environment was an identical replica of the Cobra Arcade, down to the materials, lighting, and mood. The digital model offered a fully immersive experience of the arcade, along with simulated customers moving realistically throughout the location, as well as an aerial view. The model efficiently gathered metrics on space utilization, traffic flow, total sales, distance of travel for employees, and number of people. Through working with losci to create the model, the Cobra Arcade was able to step outside of the physical constraints of space.
“Honestly, these are problems we wouldn’t have addressed before. Once a concept is open and operating, we tend to accept the limitations of the space as designed. Working with losci forced us to rethink and be open to change,” says Chuckie Duff, developer of the Cobra Arcade.
Source: Unity Technologies Blog