Human Mutual Actuation
🤔 About The Project
Developed during my semester abroad at NTU, I recreated my professor's research system titled "Mutual Human Actuation". With minimal documentation, I reverse-engineered and technical problem solved from the ground up which resulted in an asymmetric co-op VR experience for two players. Players would be linked via a local server-client architecture and each player would experience a different game simultaneously. One player takes active physical actions with real props, while the other experiences the direct consequences of those actions in their own virtual world. Developed in Unity/C#, the system integrates Optitrack motion capture to translate real-world tensions and force into synchronized virtual feedback. To view what the project was based on, view the project link!
⚠️ The Problem
Given only a research paper as reference - no source code or demo - requiring full independent interpretation before any development could begin, including learning OptiTrack and creating trackable props from scratch.
Designing a multi-stage game layout that made effective use of physical space, hid props a the right moments, and ensured real-world positions and boundaries mapped accurately into the virtual environment.
Finding a reliable way to sync two separate machines in real time so stage transitions, prop interactions, and asymmetric experiences stayed in lockstep between both players.
💡 Key Features
Full Two-Person Asymmetric Experience – Four linked stages where each player's physical actions directly shape the other's virtual reality.
Real-to-Virtual Space Calibration – Mapped physical room boundaries and prop positions into virtual game space for accurate, immersive interaction.
Custom Prop Construction – Built and marked physical props with OptiTrack rigid body markers, designed to be tracked accurately throughout each stage.
Concurrent State Machine – Manages prop visibility, phase transitions, and user timelines across both experiences without conflict.
Server-Client Sync – Real-time cross-machine communication keeps both players locked to the same stage regardless of individual timing.
🏆 Achievements
Independently reconstructed a graduate-level research project from a single paper, designing and shipping a fully functional two-player asymmetric VR system with real-time sync and physical prop integration.
Live Project
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Links
samgrace.lincoln@gmail.com
