Proximity Sensors

Targets, Sensors and Events

In Presentation Designer, proximity sensors allow changes to be made to assets and actions when a user gets close to one. These sensors check for distance between a presenter/attendee and the sensor. If the user is within proximity of the sensor, the events set up in that proximity sensor will occur (which can be anything from moving an asset to applying gravity!). In this tutorial, we will show you how to add a proximity sensor and trigger an event. In our example, a presenter approaches a headset on a pedestal and on entering the proximity, triggers an event which will rotate, resize, and move the headset. In this case, the presenter is the proximity target: an object that is detected by proximity sensors. The area around the headset is called a proximity sensor: an object that detects when a target is within range. The action of the headset being rotated, resized, and floated up is called an event. Proximity events are generated when a target enters/exits a sensor region and assets are registered with the sensor.

Setting up Enter Proximity

Let’s set up Enter Proximity first. Locate the Proximity Sensor tool in the Assets panel, and drag and drop it into the 3D view. In our example, we put a proximity sensor in between the presenter and the left headset so that the presenter can still see the headset even when he/she enters the proximity sensor region.

To set up Enter Proximity, right click on the proximity sensor you just added and choose On Triggerwhich will show you two options: Enter Proximity and Exit Proximity. Please press the first option, and then click on an asset that will be changed on enter and exit of the proximity. In our example, we clicked the left headset because we want it to be rotated, resized, and floated up when an enter event is triggered. As soon as you click on an asset, a connecting bar from the sensor to the asset will be shown.

Since we want the headset to be rotated, resized, and floated up, add Rotate To, Scale To and Move To component functions by right clicking the headset and selecting each component function. On the right-hand side of Presentation Designer, check each component function and change its values. In this example, we rotated the headset by 180 degrees, resized it two times, and moved it up by 0.72m. The final position of the headset is shown below. Note that the connecting bar has been moved as well.

Since we’re done with manipulating the headset, it’s time to close Enter Proximity by right clicking the proximity sensor and pressing Exit Active Trigger. Note that as soon as the button gets pressed, the headset goes back to the original position with its original orientation, and the connecting bar is removed.

Setting up Exit Proximity

Now that Enter Proximity has been set up correctly, let’s set up Exit Proximity as well. After right clicking on the proximity sensor, press On Trigger and Exit Proximity. Since we want the headset to be moved back to its original position/pose when the presenter exits the sensor region, add three component functions: Rotate To, Scale Toand Move To, and set their values properly. Then, close Exit Proximity by right clicking the proximity sensor and pressing Exit Active Trigger.

Note that you might not want the proximity sensor to be visible in your presentation. In that case, you can uncheck Visible checkbox of the Visible component function as shown below.

Running with the Presenter Mode

Now that Enter Proximity and Exit Proximity have been set up properly, let’s run Vizard Client - Presenter and checks if it works well. Try to enter the proximity sensor region and you will see that the headset will be moving up, resizing, and rotating. If you exit the proximity sensor, the headset will be moving back to the original position and orientation as shown below.