Development of a Virtual Reality Game to Enhance Understanding of 3D problems in Engineering Mechanics Statics

Osama Desouky; Marwa AbdelGawad

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: ME Division 6: Innovative Simulation and Extended Reality Techniques
Tagged Division: Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--56277
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/56277
Download Count: 4

Paper Authors

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Osama Desouky Texas A&M University at Qatar

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Osama Desouky is a Technical Laboratory coordinator at Texas A&M University in Qatar. Osama is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in interdisciplinary engineering from Texas A&M University at College Station. He is responsible for assisting with experimental method courses, 3D printing, mechanics of materials, material science, senior design projects, and advanced materials classes. Osama’s professional interests include manufacturing technology, materials science, 3D printing, experiments, and product design,

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Marwa AbdelGawad Hamad Bin Khalifa University orcid.org/0000-0003-0561-0994

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Dr. Marwa AbdelGawad joined Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) as an Assistant Professor of Practice. She earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX where her research was focused on examining the impact of microstructure on the corrosion response and mechanical integrity of magnesium alloys used in biomedical applications, specifically orthopedic implants.

Dr. AbdelGawad's interests are centered around materials and manufacturing, with a strong focus on corrosion of light metal alloys. With an extensive teaching background spanning over 10 years, she has developed a keen interest in advancing innovation in engineering education. At present, she actively explores various methods to enhance student engagement and optimize their learning experiences through curriculum and course design.

Her primary teaching objective is to foster a lifelong learning mindset in her students by promoting critical thinking and problem-based learning. Dr. AbdelGawad’s teaching philosophy integrates real-life ethical dilemmas to encourage students to think deeply, challenge their opinions, and integrate ethics into their coursework to help shape them into successful, professional and socially responsible engineers.

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Abstract

Development of a Virtual Reality Game to Enhance Understanding of 3D problems in Engineering Mechanics Statics Engineering mechanics statics is a core subject in mechanical engineering curriculums. Mastering these fundamental concepts such as force vectors, equilibrium, moments of inertia, and rigid body, is essential for higher-level mechanical courses. However, students often struggle with visualizing three-dimensional (3D) objects and spatial relationships, which are critical for understanding rigid body mechanics. The increasing use of 2D media on smart devices (iPads) has limited students' abilities to 3D spatial reasoning, creating a need for tools that promote better visualization and interaction with 3D objects. To address this issue, the current work-in-progress (WIP) focuses on developing a Virtual Reality (VR) game as a teaching tool for engineering mechanics statics. The game immerses students in a 3D virtual environment where they can interact with rigid bodies, forces, vectors, and moments, providing a more tangible and intuitive understanding of these key concepts. Key Learning Outcomes: 1. Enhanced Spatial Visualization: improve students’ ability to visualize and manipulate 3D vectors, forces, and moments, developing their understanding of vectors in three-dimensional space. 2. Force Representation Mastery: Aid students in grasping how forces and moments are represented and resolved in 3D space, including translating forces and moments to different points. 3. Rigid Body Analysis: Through interactive gameplay, students will apply statics principles to analyze rigid bodies, calculate resultant forces and moments, and evaluate equilibrium conditions. 4. Complex scenarios: The VR game enables students to practice applying theoretical knowledge in progressively complex scenarios, from basic force applications to advanced systems like frames and trusses. 5. Increased Self-Efficacy: The immersive nature of VR aims to boost students’ confidence in resolving forces and moments in 3D space, as evidenced by pre- and post-assessments measuring their understanding and mastery. The project is divided into four phases: 1. Asset Creation: 3D models of rigid bodies and force vectors are designed using SolidWorks, then integrated into Unity for the development of the VR game. 2. Interactivity and UI Implementation: Unity's XR Interaction Toolkit facilitates the creation of an interactive user interface. The focus is on providing students with an immersive experience where they can explore force trajectories, manipulate objects, and see the impact of their interactions in real-time. 3. Educational Content and Game Development: The game is structured as a supplemental learning tool, with levels corresponding to the core topics of the statics course. A game narrative immerses students in progressively challenging scenarios, reinforcing their understanding of statics principles. 4. Assessment and Future Expansion: In-game assessment tools will measure student comprehension before and after the VR interaction. Feedback will guide the creation of additional content, including more advanced topics such as internal force representation, frames, and complex structures. The VR game enhances students' understanding of rigid bodies by providing a 360-degree perspective on 3D objects, allowing them to manipulate forces and receive feedback on their effects. The game increases engagement, retention, and the practical application of concepts. This project represents a progressive, interactive approach to teaching engineering mechanics, encouraging improved spatial reasoning, better problem-solving skills, and greater confidence in applying statics principles.

Citation
Format

Desouky, O., & AbdelGawad, M. (2025, June), Development of a Virtual Reality Game to Enhance Understanding of 3D problems in Engineering Mechanics Statics Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--56277

TY - CPAPER
AB - Development of a Virtual Reality Game to Enhance Understanding of 3D problems in Engineering Mechanics Statics
Engineering mechanics statics is a core subject in mechanical engineering curriculums. Mastering these fundamental concepts such as force vectors, equilibrium, moments of inertia, and rigid body, is essential for higher-level mechanical courses. However, students often struggle with visualizing three-dimensional (3D) objects and spatial relationships, which are critical for understanding rigid body mechanics. The increasing use of 2D media on smart devices (iPads) has limited students&#39; abilities to 3D spatial reasoning, creating a need for tools that promote better visualization and interaction with 3D objects.
To address this issue, the current work-in-progress (WIP) focuses on developing a Virtual Reality (VR) game as a teaching tool for engineering mechanics statics. The game immerses students in a 3D virtual environment where they can interact with rigid bodies, forces, vectors, and moments, providing a more tangible and intuitive understanding of these key concepts.
Key Learning Outcomes:
1. Enhanced Spatial Visualization: improve students’ ability to visualize and manipulate 3D vectors, forces, and moments, developing their understanding of vectors in three-dimensional space.
2. Force Representation Mastery: Aid students in grasping how forces and moments are represented and resolved in 3D space, including translating forces and moments to different points.
3. Rigid Body Analysis: Through interactive gameplay, students will apply statics principles to analyze rigid bodies, calculate resultant forces and moments, and evaluate equilibrium conditions.
4. Complex scenarios: The VR game enables students to practice applying theoretical knowledge in progressively complex scenarios, from basic force applications to advanced systems like frames and trusses.
5. Increased Self-Efficacy: The immersive nature of VR aims to boost students’ confidence in resolving forces and moments in 3D space, as evidenced by pre- and post-assessments measuring their understanding and mastery.
The project is divided into four phases:
1. Asset Creation: 3D models of rigid bodies and force vectors are designed using SolidWorks, then integrated into Unity for the development of the VR game.
2. Interactivity and UI Implementation: Unity&#39;s XR Interaction Toolkit facilitates the creation of an interactive user interface. The focus is on providing students with an immersive experience where they can explore force trajectories, manipulate objects, and see the impact of their interactions in real-time.
3. Educational Content and Game Development: The game is structured as a supplemental learning tool, with levels corresponding to the core topics of the statics course. A game narrative immerses students in progressively challenging scenarios, reinforcing their understanding of statics principles.
4. Assessment and Future Expansion: In-game assessment tools will measure student comprehension before and after the VR interaction. Feedback will guide the creation of additional content, including more advanced topics such as internal force representation, frames, and complex structures.
The VR game enhances students&#39; understanding of rigid bodies by providing a 360-degree perspective on 3D objects, allowing them to manipulate forces and receive feedback on their effects. The game increases engagement, retention, and the practical application of concepts. This project represents a progressive, interactive approach to teaching engineering mechanics, encouraging improved spatial reasoning, better problem-solving skills, and greater confidence in applying statics principles.

AU - Osama Desouky
AU - Marwa AbdelGawad
CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DA - 2025/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Development of a Virtual Reality Game to Enhance Understanding of 3D problems in Engineering Mechanics Statics
UR - https://peer.asee.org/56277
DO - 10.18260/1-2--56277
ER -