{"id":18709,"date":"2020-04-09T12:02:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T16:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigan.it.umich.edu\/news\/?p=18709"},"modified":"2024-07-08T06:05:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T10:05:01","slug":"start-your-software-engines-caen-provides-xr-support-to-mracing-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigan.it.umich.edu\/news\/2020\/04\/09\/start-your-software-engines-caen-provides-xr-support-to-mracing-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Start your (software) engines! CAEN provides XR support to MRacing team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Engineering student Max Myerson in the Visualization Studio at the Duderstadt Center uses XR to validate some of MRacing’s design decisions. (John Hufnagel, CAEN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What do you get when you combine race cars and extended reality (XR)? If you said a modded version of \u201cGrand Theft Auto\u201d you\u2019d be wrong. The correct answer is: U-M\u2019s award-winning Michigan Electric Racing Team<\/a> (and CAEN\u2019s John Hufnagel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hufnagel is the lead MCAD applications analyst for CAEN<\/a>, the IT services department for Michigan Engineering. (MCAD is Mechanical Computer Aided Design). His role within the organization is to provide support for industry leading product design and simulation software used by companies like Ford, General Motors, and Boeing to build cars and airplanes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monitor showing 3D rendering of MRacing design used in XR visualizations. (John Hufnagel, CAEN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur goal is to provide CoE students with experience using the same tools industry uses to help increase the value of the education at CoE,\u201d says Hufnagel. So, as software vendors began to add XR capabilities to their products, CAEN launched its XR initiative several years ago and began looking for ways to integrate the new XR capabilities within select classrooms and labs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which brings us to race cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to software support, Hufnagel provides in-person support at the Wilson Student Team Project Center<\/a>, a dedicated space for over two dozen student engineering and design teams, such as the Michigan Mars Rover Team, the Solar Car Team, and Michigan Electric Racing<\/a>, a student team that uses technical innovation and advanced engineering analysis to build formula-style electric race cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAEN soon realized the advanced students working in the Wilson Center could benefit greatly by having access to XR technology. \u201cWhen the industry leading tools started to incorporate XR capabilities my interest was piqued in how these project teams could use XR as part of their work,\u201d says Hufnagel. According to Hufnagel, the MRacing team in particular has embraced the technology. \u201cThey checked-out a VR headset, moved a chair into position, and sat in VR surrounded by their vehicle,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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