Syllabus

General Course Information

Catalog ID: ISYE/ME 4803/8803
Credit Hours: 3
Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30–10:45 AM
Location: ISyE Main 126

Instructor & TA

Instructor: Mohsen Moghaddam, PhD
Email: mohsen.moghaddam@gatech.edu
Office Hours & Location: By appointment, Groseclose 328

Teaching Assistant: Steven Yoo
TA Email: steven.yoo@gatech.edu
TA Hours & Location: Tue/Thu, 5:00–6:00 PM, ISyE Main 327 (advance email encouraged)

Description

This course covers the fundamentals of the extended reality (XR) development lifecycle, with a special focus on engineering applications. Students will learn to use the Unity game engine to create XR apps compatible with various platforms. The course explores XR’s affordances for industrial training, human-machine interaction, immersive design visualization, virtual prototyping, remote operation, and real-time collaboration. Topics include overview of XR concepts, hardware, software, and industrial use cases; UX/UI design, prototyping, and conceptual design; C# and object-oriented programming; Unity Editor basics, gameplay mechanics, version control, effects, animations, UI, and prototyping; VR development using XR Interaction Toolkit, covering interaction design, ergonomics, and optimization; and AR development using AR Foundation, exploring mobile and head-mounted AR, marker-based AR, plane detection, and interaction design. A semester-long project requires teams to design, develop, and test an XR apps addressing a real-world engineering problem, emphasizing hands-on experience and team-based problem-solving.

Prerequisites

(CS 1371 OR CS 1301) AND (ISYE 3770 OR MATH 3670 OR ECE 3077 OR ISYE 3030).

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

  • Describe fundamental concepts and principles of XR, including AR and VR hardware, software, and industrial applications, with an emphasis on engineering use cases such as human-machine interaction, immersive design visualization, virtual prototyping, industrial training, remote operation, and real-time collaboration.
  • Design and prototype user-centered XR interfaces and interactions by integrating UX/UI principles, storyboarding, and immersive experience design methodologies.
  • Implement interactive XR experiences by applying C# programming, object-oriented principles, and best practices in the Unity game engine.
  • Develop XR apps using the XR Plugin Management system, including XR Interaction Toolkit, OpenXR Plugin, and AR Foundation, ensuring cross-platform compatibility and performance optimization.
  • Assess user experience and system performance through structured testing, feedback analysis, and iterative refinement to improve usability and optimize XR apps.
  • Synthesize principles of programming, user-centered design, and XR technology to design, develop, and validate a semester-long XR project that addresses a real-world engineering challenge.

Course Requirements & Grading

Grading Components

  • Participation & Quizzes (10%): Participation will be recorded via Canvas for each class session. Students are expected to communicate any absences to the instructor in advance and provide a legitimate reason to be excused. Quizzes will be taken in class on an ad-hoc basis through Canvas. Quiz topics will align with recent course material and count towards both quiz grades and participation.
  • Assignments (20%): Four assignments will be given on programming, Unity development, and short essays. Students will occasionally deploy and test their apps on XR simulators and mobile devices, as outlined in the Course Schedule. Assignments must be submitted via Canvas and the course’s GitHub Classroom within a one-week deadline.
  • Project (40%): Students will work in groups on a semester-long project to identify and solve a real-world engineering problem using custom AR/VR apps. Milestones and deliverables are specified in the Course Schedule.
  • Midterm Exam (20%): An in-class exam administered after completion of Module D, covering Modules A–D. The exam will assess students’ understanding of core course concepts, programming principles, and practical applications introduced in the first part of the semester.
  • Final Exam (10%): A take-home exam on Module E, assigned with approximately one week to complete and due prior to finals week. The exam will assess students’ ability to apply course concepts from the final module without the added pressure of other final exams.

While the core curriculum and project structure remain consistent across both levels, graduate students will be expected to meet additional requirements that emphasize research integration and advanced technical competency. For the semester-long project, graduate students must conduct a literature review of at least five peer-reviewed sources, build their application to advance the identified research topics, fully develop the app, and prepare a formal human subjects study design to validate their system. Weekly assignments will include added research-oriented tasks focused on identifying open research questions in XR for engineering and proposing strategies to address them, supported by relevant literature. On the final exam, graduate students will complete additional advanced questions covering C# programming and XR development in Unity.

Grading Scale

A: 90–100%
B: 80–89%
C: 70–79%
D: 60–69%
F: 0–59%

Course Materials

Content & Code

  • Norman, D. (2013). The Design of Everyday Things: Revised & Expanded Edition. Basic Books.
  • Dix, A., Finlay, J., Abowd, G. D., Beale, R. (2004). Human-Computer Interaction (3rd Ed). Harlow, England; New York: Pearson / Prentice-Hall.
  • Rogers, Y., Sharp, H., Preece, J. (2023). Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction (6th Ed). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
  • Unity Learn.
  • Microsoft Learn.

Software

Policies, Expectations, & Guidelines

Academic Integrity

Georgia Tech aims to cultivate a community based on trust, academic integrity, and honor. Students are expected to act according to the highest ethical standards. Review Georgia Tech’s Honor Code and Code of Conduct. Any student suspected of cheating or plagiarizing on a quiz, exam, or assignment will be reported to the Office of Student Integrity, who will investigate the incident and identify the appropriate penalty for violations.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with learning needs that require special accommodation, contact the Office of Disability Services, 404-894-2563, as soon as possible to make an appointment to discuss your special needs and to obtain an accommodations letter. Please also e-mail me as soon as possible to set up a time to discuss your learning needs.

Participation

Participation is evaluated based on multiple criteria, including punctuality, active participation in class activities, respectful listening during discussions, and maintaining full engagement in learning by avoiding distractions such as texting, checking your phone or email, or using other digital devices inappropriately. Students should recognize that their active participation not only enhances their own learning but also contributes to the success of their classmates in mastering the material. Students are expected to communicate any absences to the instructor in advance and provide a legitimate reason to be excused. Review Georgia Tech’s Attendance Rule for further information.

Assignments

Assignments will be posted on Canvas. Submissions must be made individually via GitHub Classroom within the specified deadline. Each student is required to submit their own homework assignments on time. While discussing homework problems with classmates is encouraged, copying is strictly prohibited. Assignments will be reviewed for excessive similarities, and any violations will result in a score of zero for the assignment. Late submissions are accepted with a 20% penalty per day.

Project

A semester-long, hands-on project will be assigned to small groups, with group assignments made at the beginning of the semester. It is each student’s responsibility to attend group meetings, contribute actively to the project, and notify the instructor early in the semester if they are unable to attend. The project will include a report, a final presentation, and a demonstration in classroom during the final week of the semester. Each group will identify a real-world engineering challenge that can be addressed using XR, propose their idea and planned activities by the second week of the semester, and work toward achieving their objectives under the guidance of the instructor and teaching assistants. The project grade will include an anonymous peer evaluation, which will account for 25% of the final score, as assessed by other group members.

Exams

  • Midterm Exam: An in-class exam will be administered upon completion of Module D. The exam will cover content from Modules A–D. It will be closed-book and computer use will not be permitted. All necessary information will be provided; no separate reference sheet is required.
  • Final Exam: A take-home exam on Module E will be assigned with approximately one week to complete. The exam will be due prior to finals week, allowing students to focus on this assessment without the added pressure of other final exams. Detailed instructions and submission guidelines will be provided in advance.

Academic honesty is expected of all students. Any form of cheating, including but not limited to copying another student’s work, constitutes a violation of the Georgia Tech Academic Honor Code and will be addressed in accordance with Institute policy.

Student-Faculty Expectations Agreement

At Georgia Tech, we believe that it is important to strive for an atmosphere of mutual respect, acknowledgement, and responsibility between faculty and the student body. The Student-Faculty Expectations Rules articulate some basic expectations that you can have of the instructor and vice versa. In the end, simple respect for knowledge, hard work, and cordial interactions will help build the environment we seek. Therefore, students are encouraged to remain committed to the ideals of Georgia Tech while in this class.

Use of AI

Students may use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot, to assist with coding and content creation. These tools should supplement, not replace, the learning process. Students must critically review and adapt AI-generated outputs to demonstrate their understanding and align with course objectives. Over-reliance without comprehension may violate academic expectations and result in penalties. Proper acknowledgment of AI assistance is encouraged when applicable.

Academic Success Resources

  • Undergraduate Students: Students looking for additional assistance outside of the classroom are advised to consider working with a peer tutor through Knack. Georgia Institute of Technology has partnered with Knack to provide students with access to verified peer tutors who have previously aced this course. Visit gatech.joinknack.com and sign in with your student account to view available tutors.

  • Graduate Students: A list of resources for graduate students is given on the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education website. Information for current students include Academic Resources, such as the Communications Center, Language Institute, Library, Catalog, Registrar, resources for conducting research, Advocacy and Conflict Resolution resources, Student Resources, such as Campus Services, Child Care/Family programs, Health & Wellness, Career Services, and the Student Resource Guide; and Professional Development, such as the programming from the Career Center and other professional development resources and events.

Student Well-Being

At Georgia Tech, we are concerned about your overall physical, social, and mental well-being. A comprehensive list of wellness related resources has been compiled and maintained by the Office of the Vice President for Student Engagement and Well-being.

Course Schedule

Module A: Architecting XR for Engineering

Date Session Code Session Title
Tue, Aug 19, 2025 A1 Introduction to XRE
Thu, Aug 21, 2025 A2 Human-Centered Design for XR

Module B: Building Real‐Time 3D Worlds

Date Session Code Session Title
Tue, Aug 26, 2025 B1 Game Engines
Thu, Aug 28, 2025 B2 Rendering
Tue, Sep 2, 2025 B3 Physics & Animation
Thu, Sep 4, 2025 B4 Audio & User Interface

Module C: C# for Custom XR Experiences

Date Session Code Session Title
Tue, Sep 9, 2025 C1 Fundamentals of C#
Thu, Sep 11, 2025 C2 Decision Logic & Methods
Tue, Sep 16, 2025 C3 MonoBehaviour
Thu, Sep 18, 2025 C4 UnityEngine Namespaces

Module D: Developing Virtual Worlds in VR

Date Session Code Session Title
Tue, Sep 23, 2025 D1 Fundamentals of VR
Thu, Sep 25, 2025 D2 Navigating in VR
Tue, Sep 30, 2025 D3 Grabbing Objects in VR
Thu, Oct 2, 2025 D4 Attaching Objects in VR
Thu, Oct 9, 2025 D5 Activating Objects in VR
Tue, Oct 14, 2025 D6 Touch and Sound in VR
Thu, Oct 16, 2025 D7 User Interfaces in VR

No class: Tue, Oct 7, 2025 — Fall break

Midterm

Date Topics Assessed
Tue, Oct 21, 2025 Modules A-D

Module E: Enriching Reality Through AR

Date Session Code Session Title
Thu, Oct 23, 2025 E1 Fundamentals of AR
Tue, Oct 28, 2025 E2 AR Foundation
Thu, Oct 30, 2025 E3 Mobile AR: Spatial Awareness
Tue, Nov 4, 2025 E4 Mobile AR: Tracking
Thu, Nov 6, 2025 E5 Mobile AR: Anchors
Thu, Nov 13, 2025 E6 Wearable AR: Spatial Awareness
Tue, Nov 18, 2025 E7 Wearable AR: Tracking & Anchors
Thu, Nov 20, 2025 E8 Wearable AR: Multimodal Input

No class: Tue, Nov 11, 2025 — Veterans Day (U.S. federal holiday)