Tech-note: 4Record - recording and controlling spatiotemporal paths in virtual environments

Abstract

4Record is a tool for creating and controlling spatiotemporal (4D) paths in a virtual environment (VE). It has been originally developed as a component of an application that uses 4D CAD models of buildings (with time as 4th dimension showing the building process progression) for the interactive visualization of construction processes. However its plug-in like design allows the integration in different applications. 4Record allows recording and replaying user navigation through space and trough building process time, removing and re-recording these paths at any desired point (in space and time), and to save or load them. We separated main 3D interaction in the VE from path recording and traveling through the building process time of the 4D model and developed one input device for each task. Using a dedicated input device similar to mobile devices like mp3 players or voice recorders as physical control for time travel and path recording, we want novice users to become quickly familiar with 4Record and to achieve a high ease of use of the whole interface.