CanterVR Platform - Remote Desktop VR Collaboration
CanterVR is a groundbreaking remote desktop VR collaboration platform that transforms traditional screen sharing into a spatial computing experience. The four-component system includes a macOS Desktop App (server), Unity VR App (mobile viewer for iOS/Android), React Website (portal), and Firebase Cloud Backend. The platform features unique innovations including ARKit spatial tracking with sub-10ms latency, XR passthrough mode for mixed reality, and Bluetooth peripheral support, making it the first VR remote desktop tool suitable for professional productivity.
Problem Solved
Traditional remote desktop experiences lack immersion and natural interaction, limiting productivity for tasks like design review, collaborative programming, and training scenarios where spatial awareness matters.
- •Architected the complete four-component system enabling modular development by rotating freelancer teams
- •Created 46 comprehensive UML Mermaid diagrams documenting all system interactions
- •Built the Central Operation Manager (COM), a custom async queue system treating Unity as enterprise platform
- •Pioneered ARKit spatial tracking integration achieving sub-10ms latency for natural head movement in VR
- •Implemented XR passthrough mode enabling mixed reality with 60fps camera compositing
- •Developed Bluetooth peripheral support making VR remote desktop professional-grade
- •Led technical teams scaling from 2 to 20+ developers and back to lean 2-developer core team
- •Architected AI agents workflow for development assistance and documentation maintenance
- ✓Promoted from Senior macOS Developer to CTO in just 4 months, validating technical leadership capabilities
- ✓Pioneered ARKit spatial tracking in VR remote desktop with sub-10ms latency - no competitor has this feature
- ✓Implemented XR passthrough mode achieving 60fps camera compositing while maintaining 90fps VR rendering - a unique mixed reality capability
- ✓Achieved first Bluetooth keyboard/mouse support in VR remote desktop, transforming VR from entertainment toy to professional productivity tool
- ✓Sustained 60-minute VR sessions rendering 4K x 3 screens through sophisticated thermal management and dynamic quality scaling
- ✓Built Central Operation Manager (COM) enabling enterprise-grade reliability in Unity VR application
- ✓Created 46 UML diagrams providing complete system documentation for rotating freelancer onboarding
- ✓Platform receiving acquisition offers pre-launch, validating technical architecture and market positioning
Performance
- • Sub-10ms ARKit spatial tracking latency
- • 90fps VR rendering maintained during complex operations
- • 60fps XR passthrough camera processing
- • Sub-50ms Bluetooth input latency
Scale
- • Supports 4K x 3 screen streaming
- • 60-minute sustained VR sessions
- • 2K video recording at 30fps without performance degradation
Team
- • Led teams of up to 20+ developers
- • 5+ years continuous CTO leadership
Technology Stack
Challenge
The RealVNC SDK fundamentally conflicted with macOS App Sandbox requirements. Four different architectural approaches failed to reconcile VNC's subprocess architecture with Apple's security model.
Solution
After exhaustive attempts including LaunchAgent with SMAppService, XPC Services, and various VNC API combinations, Khaled made the strategic decision to pivot to DMG distribution, bypassing App Sandbox entirely to prioritize functionality over App Store presence.
Impact
Enabled full RealVNC functionality, allowing the platform to proceed with core value proposition intact.
Challenge
Integrating ARKit's native world tracking with Unity's VR camera system required solving complex coordinate space transformations while maintaining sub-10ms latency to prevent motion sickness.
Solution
Khaled built a custom Swift ARKit plugin with @objc exposure, implementing direct camera transform injection that bypasses Unity's typical update cycles. The system includes graceful tracking loss handling and a customizable sensitivity system.
Impact
Achieved sub-10ms latency for spatial tracking, creating a competitive advantage no other VR remote desktop platform offers.
Challenge
Running ARKit spatial tracking, camera passthrough, RealVNC streaming, and 90fps VR rendering simultaneously caused iOS devices to overheat within minutes.
Solution
Khaled architected a multi-tier thermal fallback system with continuous monitoring that dynamically adjusts VNC rendering quality and gracefully disables ARKit features during thermal pressure while maintaining core VNC session performance.
Impact
Enabled 60-minute sustained sessions with full 4K x 3 screen rendering and passthrough mode.
Challenge
Leading technical development with 20+ rotating freelancers required architecture designed for modular independence where any developer could contribute without tribal knowledge.
Solution
Khaled created 46 comprehensive UML diagrams as executable specifications, built the Central Operation Manager as a standardized execution pattern, implemented rigorous code review processes, and developed an AI agents workflow for documentation maintenance.
Impact
Enabled CEO's contractor-first strategy while maintaining architectural consistency and code quality across years of development with high team turnover.
Situation
The VR remote desktop market lacked any solution that treated VR as a professional productivity tool. Existing products were entertainment-focused, missing critical features like natural head movement, keyboard/mouse support, and sustained session capability. CanterVR saw an opportunity to build the first enterprise-grade VR remote desktop platform.
Task
As CTO, Khaled was responsible for architecting and building a four-component system that could deliver professional-grade VR remote desktop experience while enabling a rotating team of 20+ freelancers to contribute effectively without losing architectural coherence.
Action
Khaled designed the system for modular independence from day one, creating 46 UML diagrams documenting every interaction. He built the Central Operation Manager to provide a standardized async execution pattern across Unity. For competitive differentiation, he pioneered ARKit spatial tracking integration achieving sub-10ms latency, implemented XR passthrough with sophisticated thermal management, and added Bluetooth peripheral support. When RealVNC conflicted with macOS sandbox after four failed attempts, he made the strategic pivot to DMG distribution. He established rigorous code review processes and eventually built AI agents for documentation maintenance.
Result
After 5+ years of development, the platform is market-ready with unique competitive advantages no competitor can match. The system sustains 60-minute VR sessions with 4K x 3 screens. Pre-launch acquisition offers validate the technical architecture and market positioning. The comprehensive documentation and AI-assisted development enable a lean 2-person core team to maintain enterprise-grade quality.
Technical
- • Unity mastery as enterprise application platform, not just game engine
- • VR development including ARKit spatial tracking, XR passthrough, and thermal management
- • Multi-platform system architecture bridging Swift, C#, TypeScript, and React
- • Real-time synchronization patterns using Firestore listeners
- • Performance engineering for 90fps VR with multiple concurrent video streams
Soft Skills
- • Team management with rotating freelancers
- • Strategic technical decision-making balancing velocity with sustainability
- • Documentation as force multiplier for team scaling
- • Translating technical achievements into business value
Key Insights
- 💡 Architecture is documentation, documentation is architecture - UML diagrams should be blueprints, not afterthoughts
- 💡 Platform constraints drive innovation - sandbox incompatibility led to DMG, thermal limits led to dynamic scaling
- 💡 Error handling is user experience - graceful degradation separates enterprise software from prototypes
- 💡 AI agents represent the next evolution of documentation for well-structured systems