In the realm of mixed reality development, my journey at Luminous Group was a pivotal chapter that has recently come to an unexpected close. After 15 months with the company, I find myself at a crossroads, looking for new opportunities in the dynamic world of technology. This blog post explores my departure from Luminous Group and the lessons learned as I embark on this journey towards new horizons.

A Glimpse into Luminous Group

Luminous Group, based in the UK, is known for its innovative use of in-house node editors and cutting-edge technology to create mixed reality applications that serve various industries, including manufacturing and industrial work. During my time at Luminous, I had the opportunity to contribute to their mixed reality projects.

Projects and Collaborations

During my tenure at Luminous Group, I had the chance to work on a variety of projects. These projects often involved collaborating with large companies such as Aramco, PepsiCo and Kaefer to deliver high standard training modules within a strict time frame.
One notable project I worked on was the "Disassemble a Gate Valve" scenario, a task that demonstrated the capabilities of mixed reality for training and simulation. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience that showcased the potential of Unity, C#, and advanced hardware like the Meta Quest 2 and HTC Focus. You can watch a short clip below of an early version of Gate Valve. I was involved in developing numerous improvements beyond the scenario seen in the video such as improving user feedback throughout and improving the visual elements.

Other examples of work

Alongside development of training scenarios; I had the opportunity to explore more programming based work. Included in this work was the Luminous lobby system which was created with the ability to be adapted for various companies to their specification. My work on this involved the lobby screen, interactables such as a drone, forklift and an interactive tutorial. Some of this work can be seen in the video for this post. Aside from the day to day work; I was involved in multiple "hack days" in which we could work on separate work from our everyday job whilst looking for beneficial additions to the company. Below you can see an example (the first clip in the video) of my most recent hackday work in which we had to make a project that utilised out internal "flow" system to demonstrate the versatility of the system.

Adapting to Change

The world of mixed reality is constantly evolving, and so is the technology. In recent weeks, the Meta Quest 3 was released and I had the chance to test out the latest technology in mixed reality. Being part of this transition served as a reminder of the importance of staying updated with the latest advancements in the field and being adaptable to new technologies, it also allowed me to already gain experience in using and developing for emerging technology.

Lessons Learned

My experience at Luminous Group has provided me with valuable insights. It reinforced the importance of adaptability and staying informed about industry developments. Being my first job in industry it also provided me with experience of collaborating in teams on development projects and the importance of efficiently utilising a source management system.

Moving Forward

With my journey at Luminous Group behind me, I am eager to explore new opportunities and apply the skills I've acquired Over the last 15 months. Despite the challenges and unexpected departure, my passion for innovative technology and programming as a whole remains unwavering.

Conclusion

Luminous Group was a significant chapter in my career as a Software developer, with both its challenges and opportunities. While my journey with the company has ended, the experiences and skills I gained will continue to shape my future endeavors in the dynamic world of technology.