Narupa: open-source beta exectuble

We’ve just published an open access article (arxiv.1902.01827) describing Narupa, our open-source multi-person iMD-VR (interactive molecular dynamics in virtual reality) framework. To go along with the article, we’ve published a stable beta executable of Narupa, available at irl.itch.io/narupaxr.

The executable is effectively a build of the source at gitlab.com/intangiblerealities. If you want to set up your own multi-participant VR lab, instructions are available here.

Narupa provides a few key upgrades on the proof-of-principle iMD-VR framework we published in our 2018 Science Advances paper. Specifically, Narupa enables: (1) multiple participants to cohabit the same iMD-VR environment [as shown in the video at vimeo.com/244670465]; (2) molecular simulation experts to set up their own simulations using a flexible force API; (3) the ability to run both the VR client and the force server on local networks; and (4) access to a range of tools (e.g., a flexible selection interface) designed to streamline the use of iMD-VR for research applications like protein-drug binding [as shown in the video at vimeo.com/29630079].

There’s lots of exciting updates in the pipeline underway, which will improve the application of iMD-VR to a range of nanotech research problems!