Holodeck-in-a-Pocket
0Scan a QR code mid-talk, walk through a virtual venue on your phone. No install.
The story
A WebXR demo built for FMX 2026 and NXT BLD 2026: an audience member points their phone at a QR code during the talk and is immediately walking through a virtual venue — Four Seasons Lake Austin, a Christmas Carol stage, more. Three pre-built scenes share one Babylon.js engine, and each exposes live design-option toggles (lighting, layout, materials) — which is the whole productization punchline.
Highlights
- ✦Zero install — QR code straight to walkable WebXR
- ✦Babylon.js + TypeScript + Vite, deployed to GitHub Pages
- ✦Live design toggles per scene: lighting, layout, materials
- ✦Built as a conference demo that became a product thesis
Docs · live from GitHub wiki
Holodeck-in-a-Pocket
Scan a QR code. Walk through a virtual venue. Toggle design options. On your phone. No app install.
Holodeck-in-a-Pocket is a no-install WebXR demo built for two talks in May 2026:
- FMX 2026 (Stuttgart) — May 4–7, spatial storytelling track
- NXT BLD 2026 (London) — May 13, talk on productizing bespoke AEC services (Blueprint Immersive)
Live: https://ibrews.github.io/holodeck-pocket/
What it does
A presenter shows a QR code mid-talk. The audience scans it with their phone camera. A 3D venue loads in their browser — no App Store, no download. They walk around it with an on-screen joystick, look around by dragging the screen, and toggle design options (lighting, layout, materials) using dropdowns. On a Meta Quest browser, they can tap "Enter VR" for full immersive mode.
The point isn't the geometry. It's the demo loop: the same engine that renders a hotel ballroom for NXT BLD renders a Victorian bedroom for FMX. Design options show that one scene can tell three different stories in six seconds.
Three Scenes
| Scene | URL fragment | Talk |
|---|---|---|
| Four Seasons Lake Austin | #scene=four-seasons | NXT BLD 2026 |
| A Christmas Carol — Stave 1 | #scene=carol | FMX 2026 |
| Stage Presence — D&D Encounter | #scene=dnd | both |
Quick links
- Architecture — how the engine, scenes, and asset pipeline work
- Adding a Scene — step-by-step for new contributors
- Models and Licenses — format guide and full attribution table
- For Talk Presenters — QR setup, fallbacks, what not to promise
- FAQ — common questions
Repository
https://github.com/ibrews/holodeck-pocket
Built with Babylon.js · TypeScript · Vite · GitHub Pages
See the README for run-locally instructions.
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