My First App: VR Visualization of Solids of Revolution

SYS.BLOG

My First App: VR Visualization of Solids of Revolution

My first published Android app, a Google Cardboard VR experience for visualizing Calculus Solids of Revolution, built with Unity and the Cardboard SDK.

|Aditya Bawankule
UnityVRGoogle CardboardAndroidCalculus
My first app is now available on the Google Play Store! Download link here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.AdityaBawankule.Calculus1
This app lets you visualize Solids of Revolution (3D shapes generated by rotating a 2D curve around an axis) directly in virtual reality using Google Cardboard. The demo shows the paraboloid formed by rotating y=x² around the y-axis, rendered with internal radial lines that illustrate the disk/washer method used in Calculus integration. The text label floats in 3D space so you always know which function you're viewing. For a WebGL non-VR version you can run in the browser, click here. The 3D mesh was modeled in Blender, then imported into Unity. The app was built using the Unity Google Cardboard SDK, which handles the stereoscopic side-by-side rendering and head tracking needed for VR. The settings gear visible in the video gives access to distortion correction and alignment options for different Cardboard headsets.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a solid of revolution in calculus?

A solid of revolution is a 3D shape created by rotating a 2D curve around an axis. In calculus, you calculate the volume of these shapes using disk, washer, or shell methods by integrating the cross-sectional areas.

How does VR help visualize calculus concepts?

VR lets you see solids of revolution from any angle and watch them form in real time as a curve spins around an axis. This spatial understanding is difficult to grasp from static textbook diagrams but becomes intuitive when you can walk around the shape.

What devices can run VR calculus apps?

This app runs on Google Cardboard, which works with most smartphones. Just slide your phone into a Cardboard viewer to see the 3D visualizations in VR.

RELATED CONTENT