Table of Contents:
New User Interface in VR with the Watch and Tablet
Introducing an all-new, game-changing user interface in VR with the redesigned Watch and the new Tablet.
It’s a fully redesigned user interface: more modern, more intuitive, and now consistent across both VR and desktop. This unified design makes the platform easier to use, more comfortable to navigate, and ensures a seamless experience between all commands and modes. It gives intuitive control and access to powerful shortcuts directly at your fingertips.
Access the chronometer, transparent trigger, quick settings, product tree, advanced navigation features, and more.
The tablet can be detached from the watch and stays anchored to the user’s view :
A new “Set Scene Transparent” option lets you temporarily make the product transparent, making it easier to use the tablet even in tight spaces where geometry would normally get in the way. You can quickly navigate through the tablet to select a command, then restore the product’s original visibility with a single action.
VR Features now available in Desktop Mode
Tools Library in Desktop Mode
A new desktop feature lets you spawn and place objects directly in the scene before entering VR. Large objects automatically snap to the floor or horizontal surfaces for easier and more precise positioning. The library is fully customizable to fit your project needs.
Measure in Desktop Mode
A new desktop command allows you to take and edit measurements directly in the scene. The Axis/Vertex Snap option makes it easier to select edges or vertices precisely, while Show Helper lets you quickly pick a second point aligned with the normal of the first selection.
Section Cut Desktop Mode
A new desktop command lets you prepare section cuts and activate them on demand, whether in desktop mode or directly in VR.
VR Features
Fast Grab
A highly requested VR feature now makes it possible to grab any component instantly, without going through the PIE menu. Simply hold the grab button on your controller, point with the laser, and press the trigger to pick up the part. Fast Grab also works with multi-selection, and if you stay inactive for a few seconds, a ghost marker appears at the original location to help you easily put objects back in place.
Manikin Trigger
Make assembly and mounting simulations more realistic and reliable with haptic feedback and visual collision cues. When enabled, the controller vibrates as soon as your manikin touches a component, the part turns red, and a visual widget shows exactly which body area is in contact. You can activate it for the arms, the upper body, or the full body, depending on your use case.
VR Improvements
New VR Keyboard including a keypad for entering numeric fields.
Introducing the Marketplace
Easily customize each experience with the right extensions without complex setup. With the new XR Center Marketplace, administrators install extensions once, and users can then select and activate them directly inside their experience.
Extensions are automatically loaded in Skyreal VR at launch, ensuring each project runs with the tools and content it needs, from environments and manikins to specialized commands like the endoscope.
SKYREAL offers a wide range of free extensions, available in our online extension catalog. Simply contact our support team to get the ones you want for your XR Center.
⚠️ New License System ⚠️
Licenses are now managed per application (CAD Forge, Skyreal VR, GAIA), offering greater flexibility and easier sharing of floating licenses. Even if a user has access to multiple apps, they only consume one license at a time, depending on the application in use. For any questions, our Sales and Support teams are here to help.
Permissions
Permission management has been simplified for clarity and ease of use. The three levels of rights (Member, Contributor, Owner) can now be applied consistently to workspaces, the 3D Library, and experiences. When creating a workspace or an experience, you can easily define who has access and what role they have. Open workspaces, with no restrictions, can also be created: Ideal for small teams, agile structures, or open-source projects.
IT Admin
The IT administration page has been redesigned to make license management easier. Administrators can now allocate licenses to groups for better distribution based on needs. They can also invalidate licenses to revoke a user’s access (what James Bond would call a “License to Kick”).
Advanced Physics (XDE) – Taking It Further
A Brand-New WorkBench for Advanced Physics
This release introduces a completely new workbench to model all mechanical simulations within a unified command. It provides a consistent way to manage groups, constraints, joints, cables, and all physical parameters of your simulation.
Alongside improved physics engine performance, the new workbench also brings powerful features:
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A comprehensive list of available kinematic types
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Optimized handling of kinematic loops
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The ability to modify cable lengths during a simulation
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The option to define which parts are selectable or not
New extensions
Discover the latest extensions now available for Skyreal. You can browse the full catalog online and simply contact our support team to add the ones you need to your XR Center. We also welcome your ideas for new extensions to further enhance the Skyreal VR experience.
Endoscope
A visual inspection tool designed to examine hard-to-reach areas inside machines, structures, or equipment.
Parametric Light
Quickly place and adjust a light in real time to illuminate your scene according to your needs.
Snap SurfSurf
Dynamic surface-to-surface alignment. Automatically snap one surface to another in real time using their normals for precise positioning.
Headlamp
A head-mounted light to brighten dark areas — also available for the manikin.
Complex Shape
Draw a complex shape directly on a surface, then extrude it into 3D. A simple and fast way to create custom objects.
Image Loader
Display an image inside a 3D window, in both VR and Desktop — perfect for technical documentation or step-by-step procedures.
SKR Camera Controller
Advanced camera parameter control inside the viewport, giving you precise adjustments directly in your working environment.
Viewer Mode
Disable all commands for a user so they can only visualize the scene, without any risk of modification — ideal for design reviews or presentations.
SKR Recording
Capture a video of your session directly within Skyreal, without external software. A simple, integrated solution to easily share demos and reviews.
This release is built on Unreal Engine 5.6
We are proud to present the release of SKYREAL 1.21 based on Unreal Engine 5.6.
Please make sure to update Unreal Engine if this hasn’t been done already.
Note that this new version of UE includes an RHI (Render Hardware Interface) optimization to fully leverage the latest hardware and make even better use of multi-core CPUs.
We mentioned this in the section dedicated to multi-threading in this article. 
