HOW DOES VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) FACILITATE DESIGN? A REVIEW OF VR USAGE IN EARLY-STAGE ENGINEERING DESIGN

Virtual reality (VR) has been widely used in engineering design in different ways. It has the potential to enhance some design aspects, such as visualization and interaction, but might be incapable of solving the others. There are no consensus or general guidelines on how VR can facilitate design processes. This paper aims to understand how VR is currently used in engineering design at an early stage, so that researchers and practitioners can better know when and how to use VR for efficient design activities. Specifically, this paper reviews the research questions and applications addressed by using VR technology. The study helps identify the design questions currently studied, and gaps to be filled in order to use VR effectively for optimal design outcomes. This review also provides guidelines about when and how to use VR in design research and practices.