UnityMol: interactive and ludic visual manipulation of coarse-grained RNA and other biomolecules

We present a general software architecture to carry out interactive molecular simulations in a game engine environment. Our implementation is based on the UnityMol framework and the HireRNA physics engine. With UnityMol, we pursue the goal to create an interactive virtual laboratory enabling researchers in biology to visualize biomolecular systems, run simulations and interact with physical models and data. Similarly, UnityMol enables game designers to build scientifically accurate molecular scenarios. We discuss four case studies, from simulation setup via immersive experiments, force-induced unfolding of RNA to teaching and collaborative research applications. Visual effects enrich the dynamic and immersive aspects. We combine an appealing visual feedback with a set of analysis features to extract information about properties of the fascinating biomolecular systems under study. Access to various input devices enables a natural interaction with the simulation.