IEEE ISEMV 2024 Publication & National Recognition
Authored and presented 'Building a University Digital Twin' at the 2024 IEEE International Symposium on Emerging Metaverse in Seattle, Washington. Featured by the UT Dallas Bass School News for pioneering accessible multi-user browser metaverse architecture.
The UTD Campus Digital Twin is an accurate, highly-optimized interactive virtual reconstruction of the iconic Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology (ATEC) building at The University of Texas at Dallas. Hosted live on Spatial.io, the environment runs seamlessly in-browser on mobile devices, desktop browsers, and standalone VR headsets without requiring local installs.
Cross-Platform Optimization & WebXR Performance
Recreating a 155,000-square-foot multi-story university complex within Spatial.io’s strict WebGL memory budgets required aggressive technical art optimization:
- Geometry & Draw Call Budgeting: Modular architectural kitbashing with atlased PBR textures, reducing multi-room rendering overhead to under 80 draw calls.
- Progressive Lightmap Baking: High-resolution indirect illumination and caustic reflections baked into HDR lightmaps via Unity’s Progressive Lightmapper.
- Interactive Multi-User Hubs: Integrated student gallery spaces, virtual lecture auditoriums, and collaborative breakout zones supporting synchronous multi-user voice and avatar interaction.
Academic Publications
Peer-reviewed symposium and journal publications covering this work
Building a University Digital Twin
Creating an interactive, multi-building academic campus digital twin requires harmonizing GIS geospatial data, architectural CAD drawings, and real-time game engine rendering. We present our end-to-end pipeline in Unreal Engine 5, demonstrating cross-platform streaming, interactive wayfinding, and virtual orientation capabilities for prospective students and researchers.
Press & Media Recognition
Articles, video features, and media coverage celebrating this project