Virtual outcrop geology comes of age: the application of consumer-grade virtual reality hardware and software to digital outcrop data analysis

In this work, the need for discipline specific analysis tools is addressed by harnessing a consumer grade virtual reality system (HTC Vive) and freeform 3D visual arts software package (Google Tilt Brush) to interactively interpret and analyze sedimentary and structural architecture (bedding contacts, faults, fractures) from digital outcrop models. Having generated these interpretations, users utilize a script library developed in the MATLABTM language to extract geologically useful data (e.g. orientation, length, intensity) from interactively generated 3D mesh patches output by Tilt Brush. Note that the submission contains the MATLAB code library, test data and presentation (.ppt) with videoed examples of Tilt Brush data input and interpretation.