Link to Models

Connect virtual reality worlds to Simulink^® and Simscape™ Multibody™ dynamic system models

Visualize a dynamic system simulation by connecting a Simulink block diagram or Simscape Multibody Link to a virtual world. Simulating the model generates signal data for a dynamic system, which you can use to control and animate the virtual world.

Use the Simulink 3D Animation™ block library to connect to a Simulink model to a virtual world. The VR Sink block allows you to write values from Simulink block ports to specified virtual world fields. To provide interactivity between a virtual world viewer and a Simulink model, use a VR Source block or other blocks such as a Space Mouse Input block.

To view the behavior of a model created with the Simscape Multibody Link software:

Build a model of a machine in the Simulink interface using Simscape Multibody Link blocks.
Create a detailed visual representation of your machine in a virtual world.
Connect the virtual world to the Simscape Multibody Link body sensor outputs.
View the behavior of the bodies in a virtual world viewer.

Functions

`vrlib`	Open Simulink block library for Simulink 3D Animation
`vrjoystick`	Create joystick object
`vrspacemouse`	Create space mouse object
`vrcoordm2vr`	Convert MATLAB coordinates to VR coordinates
`vrcoordvr2m`	Convert VR coordinates to MATLAB coordinates
`vrrotmat2vec`	Convert rotation from matrix to axis-angle representation
`vrrotvec2mat`	Convert rotation from axis-angle to matrix representation

Blocks

VR Sink	Write data from Simulink model to virtual world
VR Source	Read data from virtual world to Simulink model
VR To Video	Write data from Simulink model to virtual world (video output port enabled)
VR Tracer	Trace trajectory of object in associated virtual scene
VR Placeholder	Send unspecified value to Simulink 3D Animation block
VR Signal Expander	Expand input vectors into fully qualified virtual world field vectors
Joystick Input	Process input from asynchronous joystick device
Space Mouse Input	Process input from space mouse device
Cross Product	Cross product of two 3-D vectors
Normalize Vector	Output unit vector parallel to input vector
Rotation Between 2 Vectors	Virtual world rotation between two 3-D vectors
Rotation Matrix to VR Rotation	Convert rotation matrix to axis/angle rotation
VR Rotation to Rotation Matrix	Convert array/angle rotation to rotation matrix
VR to MATLAB Coordinates	Convert VR coordinates to MATLAB coordinates
MATLAB to VR Coordinates	Convert MATLAB coordinates to VR coordinates
Viewpoint Direction to VRML Orientation	Convert viewpoint direction to virtual world orientation

Simulink Models and Generated Code Links

Virtual Reality World and Dynamic System Examples

Use virtual worlds that interface to Simulink block diagrams and to MATLAB^® objects and functions.

Connect Virtual Worlds and Models

Associate a Simulink model with a virtual world and connect signals from the Simulink model to the virtual world.

Use Sensors

Move or modify virtual world objects during simulation based on user input from the virtual world or events in the virtual world.

Interact with Generated Code

Have a virtual world that you create with the Simulink 3D Animation product interact with code generated by the Simulink Coder™ product and compiled with a third-party C/C++ compiler in the Simulink Desktop Real-Time™ environment.

Simscape Multibody and Imported CAD Model Links

Link to Simulink and Simscape Multibody Models

Establish a live data connection between the model and the virtual world by creating associations between dynamic model object quantities and corresponding virtual world object properties.

Modify the CAD Model Virtual World

Use the 3D World Editor or other editor to modify the results of CAD tool export filters manually.

Featured Examples

Rotating Membrane

The vrmemb1 example is similar to the vrmemb example, but this time the associated virtual world is driven from a Simulink® model.

Open Model

Bouncing Ball

The vrbounce example visualizes a ball bouncing from a floor. The ball deforms as it hits the floor keeping the volume of the ball constant. The deformation is achieved by modifying the scale field of the ball.

Open Model

Variable Lighting

Vrlights is an example with light sources. In the scene there are Sun (modeled as DirectionalLight) and Lamp (modeled as PointLight) moved around from the Simulink® model, creating the illusion of changes between day and night terrain illumination. In the associated VRML file, several viewpoints are defined that allow you to observe gradual changes in light from various perspectives.

Open Model

Inverted Pendulum

The vrpend example illustrates the various ways a dynamic model in Simulink® can interact with a virtual reality world. It is the model of 2-dimensional inverted pendulum controlled by a PID controller. What distinguishes this model from 'common' inverted pendulum models is visualization and the methods of setting the setpoint. You visualize and interact with a virtual world by using a Trajectory Graph and VR Sink blocks. The Trajectory Graph block allows you to track the history of the pendulum position and change the setpoint. The method for setting the setpoint can be selected in the mask of the Trajectory Graph block. The following methods are available:

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Portal Crane with Joystick Control

The vrcrane_joystick example illustrates how a Simulink® model can interact with a virtual world. The portal crane dynamics is modeled in Simulink and visualized in virtual reality. The model uses Joystick Input block to control the setpoint. Joystick 3 axes are used to control the setpoint position, button 1 is used to start the crane.

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Portal Crane with Control Panel

Open Model

Portal Crane with Predefined Trajectory

The vrcrane_traj example is based on the vrcrane_joystick example, instead of interactive operator control it has a predefined load trajectory.

Open Model

Planetary System

The vrplanets example shows the dynamic visualization of the first 4 planets of the Solar system, Moon orbiting around Earth and Sun rotating itself. The model uses the real properties of the spatial bodies. Only the relative planet sizes and the distance between the Earth and the Moon are adjusted to provide an interesting view.

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Plane Take-Off

The vrtkoff example represents a simplified aircraft taking-off from a runway. There are several viewpoints defined in this model, both static and attached to the plane, allowing you to see the take-off from various perspectives.

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Plane Take-Off with HUD Text

This model is a variant of the vrtkoff example that shows also how to display signal values as text in the virtual scene and a simple Head-Up Display (HUD).

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Plane Take-Off with Trajectory Tracing

Open Model

Manipulator with SpaceMouse

This model illustrates the use of Simulink® 3D Animation™ for virtual reality prototyping and testing the viability of designs before the implementation phase. Also, this example illustrates the use of the Magellan SpaceMouse for manipulating objects in a virtual world.

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