UC Berkeley, Immerex to Open Lab for Ongoing VR, AR Research

  • By Staff
  • 03/14/17

UCB's Center for Augmented Cognition, directed by Allen Yang (above), will outfit a new lab for research and student projects in augmented reality and virtual reality. Image Credit: Noah Berger.

The University of California, Berkeley has received a corporate gift from a nearby virtual reality company to open a new collaboration space dedicated to research in augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), and to provide scholarships for students and faculty.

Image Credit: Immerex.

Bay Area-based Immerex provided an undisclosed gift amount and will outfit the Immerex Virtual Reality Lab, as it will be called, located in Cory Hall. It will be a space for faculty members, graduate and undergraduate students affiliated with the Center for Augmented Cognition, based in the College of Engineering, to develop projects using Immerex VR equipment, like VR head-mounted displays and cameras. 

“The center supports Berkeley faculty and students in their research on human cognition modeling, human-computer interaction and human-robot collaboration through augmented and virtual reality technologies,” according to the announcement. Applications for such research range from creating content that trains doctors in live-saving techniques to bringing artists and audiences together for a virtual performance.

"In this new lab, we will be able to create synergies among Berkeley's various programs in AR/VR and connect researchers and students to Immerex's industry-leading technologies and channels in the emerging virtual reality global market," said Allen Yang, executive director of the Center for Augmented Cognition, in the statement.

To learn about projects and more, visit the Center for Augmented Cognition site.

Featured

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Risks of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • a professional worker in business casual attire interacting with a large screen displaying a generative AI interface in a modern office

    Study: Generative AI Could Inhibit Critical Thinking

    A new study on how knowledge workers engage in critical thinking found that workers with higher confidence in generative AI technology tend to employ less critical thinking to AI-generated outputs than workers with higher confidence in personal skills.

  • university building with classical columns and a triangular roof displayed on a computer screen, surrounded by minimalist tech elements like circuit lines and abstract digital shapes

    Pima Community College Launches New Portal for a Unified Digital Campus Experience

    Arizona's Pima Community College is elevating the digital campus experience for students, faculty, and staff with a new portal built on the Pathify digital engagement platform.