The cost of a desktop or laptop computer with the graphics power to work with virtual reality (VR) software has plunged to very affordable levels. Even basic models with integrated graphics hardware are now capable of producing stunning results in VR mode with detailed textures, reflections and shadows adding to the realistic picture quality. Although VR is not up to showing quite the quality of “photo-realism” available from static pictures (which still take minutes to produce), the very fact that the kitchen model can be interactively displayed and moved through adds a whole new dimension which is hugely impressive to potential customers.
Previously, it was usually necessary for the designer to work without the customer present because a design could take many hours to work up and to produce a set of finished static views. With features such as “drag and drop” making model building very fast, kitchen designers are now finding that they have the confidence to design in 3-D in front of their clients. Any changes can then be made with their involvement, producing a new VR demonstration along the way. These software features are revolutionizing the kitchen retail business and have certainly improved the chances of a sale.
In technical terms, the developers of these VR systems are using the same technology used for Computer Games development. Microsoft’s Direct 3D programming language and OpenGL (which works on windows, Mac and even mobile phones) are used to harness the enormous power of modern graphics chips from Intel, NVidia (GeForce range) and ATI (Radeon). The power of these chips is increasing even faster than the more often publicised advances in CPU power.
Many laptops now even have two graphics chips: one for handling programs such as 3D kitchen design which require more electrical power consumption, and one with much lower power consumption for more mundane non-3D tasks. This is great for conserving battery power.
As well as the hardware becoming cheaper, kitchen CAD programs which include VR facilities are also becoming increasingly affordable. Individual kitchen designers and kitchen fitters, as well as bricks and mortar kitchen showrooms, are now able to afford the hardware and software to impress their customers and to interact with them during the design process.
