Qilmeg Doudatcz
SMArchS Computation @ MIT

Computer-Aided Design

Home Again (Final Project Proposal)

Background and Motivation

Human beings have always sought ways to preserve and revisit experiences that carry deep emotional weight. Across time, media such as vinyl records, cassette tapes, DVDs, and digital archives have offered ways to return to moments of music, film, and memory. My long-standing interest has been in extending this tradition into immersive media, exploring how interactive and computational tools can help us revisit timeless human experiences.

In my previous research, I have focused on 3D scanning technologies (photogrammetry, LiDAR, Gaussian splatting) and XR production. This work has informed my broader question: how can new forms of interactive media allow us not only to view, but to re-enter and re-experience spaces that matter to us?

Link to previous work

Final Project Vision (Blender Render)
Final Project Vision (Blender Render)

Project Concept

For my final project, I propose to build a table-top project titled Home Again. The setup will feature small physical objects in the form of cassette tapes. Each cassette will be linked to a specific virtual scene.

When a participant picks up a cassette and places it on the table, an image recognition or sensing mechanism will detect it and trigger a VR headset to load a corresponding scene. These scenes will be drawn from my collection of 3D-scanned environments, prepared both as photogrammetry meshes and as Gaussian splats.

Technical Approach

  • Physical Objects: Fabricate cassette-like artifacts that serve as triggers for virtual scenes.
  • Recognition Mechanism: Implement image recognition or object sensing to connect each cassette to a unique environment.
  • Scene Content: Use 3D scans of real spaces, prepared as photogrammetry models and Gaussian splats.
  • Integration in Unreal Engine: Build an application where cassettes placed on the table load corresponding VR scenes.
  • Independent Study Synergy: Connect this project with my ongoing independent study in Gaussian splatting, bringing technical research into an interactive format.

Expected Outcomes

  • A working table-top system where participants can “browse” cassettes and immediately enter virtual spaces through a VR headset.
  • An Unreal Engine app integrating photogrammetry models and Gaussian splats.
  • Documentation of the full pipeline: cassette fabrication, recognition mechanism, 3D capture, and VR integration.