Dassault Systèmes teams up with Apple to use Vision Pro headsets to bring spatial CAD to life
- Apple and Dassault Systèmes team up to launch Vision Pro app
- Enterprise manufacturers and home designers are both catered for
- “Two big brains” launched two big apps that require “no special skills”
Dassault Systèmes has partnered with Apple to try and bring its 3D product design, simulation and manufacturing software into a totally new era.
At the core of the announcement is the Dassault platform’s support for the Apple Vision Pro wearable device, allowing designers, engineers and businesses to interact with virtual twins in a more immersive and intuitive way.
Spatial computing powered by the Apple Vision Pro allows users to see and modify their models as if they were physically present in their surroundings.
Dassault Systèmes wants to put the ‘3D’ in 3D designing
At the company’s recent 3DEXPERIENCE WORLD event, Dassault’s Gian Paolo (GP) Bassi admitted existing CAD software, including its own, can be extremely limiting, forcing users to interact with a 3D model on a 2D screen.
GP explained the goal of the partnership was to give designers access to more of their senses when interacting with virtual twins – for example, by tapping into the headset’s cameras, sensors and tracking technology, engineers can walk around their virtual models, inspect them at a bigger scale and even simulate real-world interactions – ironing out one less physical step in the name of both efficiency and sustainability.
Despite piquing consumer interest, the Vision Pro’s high $3,500 price tag has landed it in the enterprise market. Using it in conjunction with CAD software highlights how augmented and mixed reality can be integrated into enterprise workflows. Armed with genuine use cases, that enthusiasm will continue and will hopefully pave the way for cheaper, consumer-destined headsets – something that Dassault Systèmes is also preparing for.
Bassi described the partnership as the “combination of two big brains,” adding: “Any product built with SOLIDWORKS can be experienced in a spatially enabled environment, with no special skills required.”
Some use cases already being explored include automotive designers being able to assess a full-scale digital prototype of a vehicle before manufacturing, helping them to improve aerodynamics and ergonomics, and medical professionals exploring anatomical models for educational purposes and pre-surgical planning.
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Dassault Systèmes to supercharge the 3DEXPERIENCE platform with spatial computing capabilities that will enable engineers and designers to effortlessly bring 3D designs to life in ways not previously possible,” added Mike Rockwell, VP for Vision Products Group at Apple.
The Vision Pro app is already being trialled by Porsche, indicating a potentially broader deployment across other Volkswagen Group brands including VW, Audi and Bentley. Dassault Systèmes is preparing to launch its 3DLive Vision Pro app to all platform users in the summer of 2025.
Coinciding with the enterprise-destined application, Dassault Systèmes has also launched HomeByMe Reality – a separate Vision Pro app tailored for interior design and real estate, allowing homeowners, designers and estate agents to virtually apply furniture and preview renovations. It’s available to try now and builds on the company’s existing HomeByMe app, available for iOS and iPadOS.
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