Desarrollo de sistema de interacción basado en sensor de distancia en 360º para superficies interactivas dentro de un laboratorio inmersivo

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a functional spatial interaction prototype that converts physical surfaces in the Virtual Reality Laboratory at the Catholic University of Cuenca into interactive digital interfaces by integrating a 360° RPLiDAR A2 laser sensor with the Unity engine. The research addressed the limitations of academic environments that rely exclusively on keyboard and mouse input, which restrict interaction possibilities in immersive spaces. A quantitative -methods, applied, and iterative methodology was employed. The quantitative component focused on collecting technical metrics related to system accuracy, tracking, and responsiveness, whereas the qualitative component focused on evaluating the user experience. As a result, a functional prototype was developed that can detect and track the movement of a hand in real time in front of a physical surface, enabling its correspondence with actions within an application developed in Unity. Functional testing demonstrated a stable response and smooth interaction; with a spatial accuracy of ± 11.30 mm, a computation latency of 38.40 ms, a reduction in jitter of 78.20% and automatic recovery following a serial disconnection in 3.24 s. It is concluded that the integration of the RPLiDAR A2 sensor with Unity constitutes a technically viable alternative for expanding forms of interaction in immersive laboratories and for future educational applications based on interactive surfaces.