Mesh Monthly - January ‘25 - New Year, New Opportunities - Create Growth N2, Collective, CDIT Studio Launch, Gravity Sketch 6.4.
As we wrap up the first month of 2025, we’re reflecting on an busy yet exciting start to the year! January has been packed with innovation, collaboration, and opportunity, not only to bring virtual reality to others but to also step up our own game as we delve head first into a new major research project. Welcome back to #MeshMonthly, our regular recap of company news and industry updates.
Company Updates
Create Growth N2 - Exploring Immersive Technology at the University of Nottingham
This month, we’ve had the opportunity to take part in Nottingham’s Create Growth program, learning how we could use advanced and immersive technologies such as motion capture, directional audio and AI to enhance the experiences and solutions we can provide. We are currently in the midst of a new research project, exploring how XR (Mixed Reality) could be used in the Design and Technology classroom to help students learn about industrial manufacturing processes. the project is very much in its infancy but we’ll keep you in the loop as much as we can as we delve into our primary research phase. Check out the video below where we used a mixture of Motion Capture, AI 3D modelling and Unreal Engine to create a quick mock-up of a mascot explaining the different components of an Injection Moulding Machine.
The University’s Virtual, Immersive and Production studio was equipped with the latest technology that the industry has to offer covering;
Volumetric Capture
Motion Capture
Audio Capture (Binaural and directional)
Unlimited access to various AI software such as Meshy and SkyBoxAI
A wide collection of VR headsets with AR capabilities
Engaging with like-minded professionals and learning from industry experts has been an invaluable experience and we look forward to working with the team as we continue to refine and expand our offerings. Learn more about the program here: https://creategrowthn2.co.uk/
Collective #05 - Showcasing the capabilities of Virtual Reality alongside Christian Venables
At the start of the month, we also had the opportunity to conduct a variety of live demos at COLLECTIVE, following Christian Venables’ talk, ‘Real-time inspiration: The Human/AI feedback loop in VR Sculpting’. Christian's talk explored how he used a combination of AI, VR, and AR through Gravity Sketch and Krea.ai as part of his design process for live-action sculpting. It was an incredible talk, leaving most if not all of the room pretty much mind-blown and we were keen to keep that momentum going and get people in the headsets to have their first experiences of VR through Gravity Sketch.
Nothing beats getting people into VR and sketching in 3D for the first time. There were wows and jaw drops throughout the evening and we are extremely grateful to have provided the COLLECTIVE community with this experience.
Check out Christian’s work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-venables-74542836/
Book on to the next COLLECTIVE event here: https://www.cdicollective.co.uk/
COLLECTIVE is a community for creatives, digital and tech innovators, thought leaders and academics from across the East Midlands who meet on a monthly basis to share, learn, connect and collaborate.
Professional Certification Accelerator - Gravity Sketch Training for design team at Aston University
Throughout this month, we’ve been working with the Product Design team at Aston University/Design Factory Birmingham to prepare and support the staff as they begin to deploy Gravity Sketch into their workflow and client work. Over the course of 4, 1h30 onsite training sessions we’ve taken the team right the way through the Gravity Sketch basics such as navigation and sketch creation through to surface modelling and product presentations. Our syllabus has been developed in-line with Gravity Sketch’s Professional Certification, ensuring the team had a holistic overview of what the software had to offer with in-depth guidance.
We’ll be sharing a case study before our February Edition of Mesh Monthly, diving deeper into the sessions and exploring how the department are looking to utilise Gravity Sketch.
Creative, Immersive and Digital Technology Studio - Supporting the launch of Nottingham’s latest digital innovation space
Towards the end of the month, we were invited to support and be a part of the launch of Nottingham Trent University’s Creative, Immersive and Digital Technology Studio at the Dryden Enterprise Centre (also home to Mesh Training Ltd.!). The studio is home to a vast collection of state-of-the-art technology, from high-end PCs and VR headsets from Meta Quest to HTC and Varjo making it a hub for experimentation, collaboration, and innovation. Whether it's developing immersive learning experiences, exploring new ways to engage audiences, or designing next-generation digital content, the studio will provide the perfect environment to push creative boundaries.
By fostering cross-industry collaboration, NTU’s immersive studio aims to support businesses, researchers, and students in developing future-facing digital solutions. We’re excited to see how this space evolves and look forward to kicking off our summer training programs in the studio. More news on this is coming soon!
Industry News
Gravity Sketch 6.4 is here! - The colours and materials update
January also saw the launch of Gravity Sketch 6.4, a major update to the software’s colour and material features and screen collab app. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new:
Customizable Materials Library – You can now personalize your materials library, making it even easier to improve the aesthetics of your design and explore alternative colours, materials and finishes.
Advanced Texture Manipulation – With this update, you can now scale, pan, and rotate textures that have been directly applied to objects to ensure that everything lines up correctly. Getting rid of the materials sliders from the previous update has made texture mapping a whole lot easier.
Adjustable Material Properties – Sliders from the textures panel have now been converted over to the material settings, allowing you to fine-tune roughness, metallic levels, clear coat application, and outline thickness to create more precise and realistic designs.
Performance Enhancements – Minor improvements to software performance has made SubD modelling a fair bit smoother and faster.
Click here to find out more about the updates and here to read Gravity Sketch’s Patch Notes
Dates for your diaries
Around Festival Spotlight - Utilizing Gravity Sketch for collaborative 3D design sprints - 25th February 2025, 5:00pm - 6:00pm GMT - Online
We’re delighted to be invited back to Around, a 3D design festival by Gravity Sketch to host a workshop exploring how the software can be used as a collaborative 3D whiteboard to supercharge design sprints and enhance team creativity in real-time.
Nottingham Tech for Good Festival - 13th - 16th May 2025 - Nottingham
We’re excited to share that Priten will be speaking at the NT4G Conference on May 13th, delivering a talk titled "Democratizing Design Education Through Virtual Reality." He’ll be exploring how VR is transforming classrooms, making learning more accessible, inclusive, and immersive. Through real-world case studies, he’ll showcase how schools and universities are integrating VR into their curriculum—helping students develop soft skills, embrace sustainable design, and foster collaboration. It’s an exciting opportunity to highlight the power of immersive technology in education!
Learn more about the event and book your free ticket here: NT4G Conference
The Big D&T Meet - 11th July 2025 - Lincolnshire
After an incredible experience last year, we’re thrilled to be exhibiting once again at the Big D&T Meet this summer! This event is a must-attend for Design & Technology educators, bringing together passionate teachers, industry experts, and innovators to explore the latest trends, tools, and teaching strategies in D&T. It’s an amazing opportunity to network, share ideas, and discover cutting-edge resources that are shaping the future of design education. We can’t wait to see you there!
🔗 Find out more and book your ticket here: Big D&T Meet
That’s all for January, what an awesome start to the year! We’re super excited to see what this year will bring and we’re extremely greatful to have you on this journey with us.
See you next month for the next edition of Mesh Monthly.
p.s Be sure to follow us on our social media pages to keep in the loop with all things VR and have a sneak peak behind the scenes at Mesh Training.
-Priten.
