About Me

Simon Smith

My name is Simon Smith, currently a Software Engineer at Microsoft. I’ve been working on the IVAS augmented reality system since August 2021.

From 2016 to 2021, I was a Systems Programmer for the Virtual Environments Group, located in the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. I served as lead developer for several ongoing research projects at the lab, which you can learn more about below. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in December 2015.

I am an experienced Unity developer for desktop and virtual reality platforms. My main programming languages are C# and Python; I also have experience with C++, C, R, Lua, and others. My work has also involved 3D modeling, digital asset creation, LiDAR scanning, running focus groups, and many other activities.

View my CV here.
Visit my GitHub or LinkedIn profile.

Projects

UW Virtual Brain Project

Virtual Brain image

The UW Virtual Brain Project is an ongoing research project designed to test the effectiveness of virtual reality-based learning. It is developed in Unity and runs on desktop platforms as well as the Oculus Rift, Quest, and Go. I was the lead developer on this project and assisted in the project’s design since it’s inception. Read more…

Civil Engineering Project (VR for EDU)

Civil Engineering image

The Civil Engineering Project is a software experience designed to teach engineering students how to read and understand building plans. It is an interactive quiz that takes place while exploring a 3D building model on an Oculus headset. I was the lead developer for this project, working alongside engineers to implement their 3D data and teaching materials. Read more…

3D Technology for Crime Scene Investigation

Crime scene house dataset

This two-year NIJ-funded project focused on the use of 3D capture technology for crime scene investigation. Using a LiDAR scanner, datasets of various mock crime scenes were captured. Working with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the UW-Madison LaFollette School of Public Affairs, a cost benefit analysis was created determining the efffectiveness of this technology for crime scene investigators. I was one of three developers on this project, focusing on algorithm design as well as data collection. Read more…

Other Projects

Unity Scripts repository

Some of the other projects I’ve been involved in. Read more…

Publications

A summary of my publications is available here.