Contributors: Sarthak Singh, Aditya Kumar, Patrick Mao, Holden McGovern, Nelson Tan
Originally created for Dubhacks 2019
Our project aims to aid in the visualization of 3D equations in and out of the classroom. Simply look at an equation on a whiteboard or a piece of paper and the 3D model will be projected into the room.
The way we learn math throughout school emphasizes symbolic reasoning; we think about concepts with equations and plots on 2D media, like notebook paper and whiteboards, so it can be a rocky transition when we first breach into subjects like multivariable calculus and linear algebra, in which it's imperative to be able visualize and reason about surfaces in a 3-Dimensional space. This makes it somewhat difficult to develop an intuition for the types of concepts found in these fields, especially for people who learn best through visual stimuli.
With Hololens 2, we can utilize mixed reality to take an equation from the physical world and dynamically display it in the virtual world. By using the Hololens webcam to get images of equations in real time and an api that converts those images to LateX syntax, we can convert the equations you draw in your notebook or on a whiteboard to a 3-Dimensional mesh viewable through the Hololens. This allows students to view surfaces in a space that they are able to manipulate, and it enables teachers to portray their course content in a more intuitive way.