Global Initiative to Open 50 Virtual and Augmented Reality Labs

Image Credit: VR First.

VR First, a global initiative to democratize virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) hardware and software for academic institutions, is planning to open 50 VR/AR labs at colleges and universities by the end of this year, in an effort to meet future workforce demands.

VR First believes these immersive technologies will drive the future job market and therefore students should be trained using such technologies and tools. To date, there are 26 “VR First Labs” operating around the United States, Europe, Asia and Oceania, and 14 more will “open soon,” according to a news release. VR First has worked with universities and science parks worldwide, from Purdue University to Aalborg University Copenhagen in Denmark, helping institutions to set up or renovate current PC labs into VR/AR-reading facilities.

Applications for content created in the labs range from “gaming, education and architecture to cinematics, psychology and other sectors,” the news release said. Of the 50-plus projects currently in development at VR First Labs, games account for the majority of projects under way (35 percent), followed by psychology and neuroscience (12 percent); education (7 percent); tourism (7 percent); and architecture and real estate (6 percent). For example, Oklahoma State University’s Mixed Reality Lab, a VR First partner, is creating an AR-based mobile app that functions as a mapping device for individuals with physical disabilities or mild memory loss. (Watch the video footage of a few projects below.)

In addition to providing workforce training, the initiative will establish new standards for creation and consumption environments in VR, AR and mixed reality. For instance, VR First is working with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and industry stakeholders to develop IEEE P2058.5, which is one of eight standards being developed for the Digital Senses Initiative.

Video game and software developer Crytek initially backed the initiative, but the project is now fully independent. VR First has 581 academic networks and more than 3,700 developers worldwide, according to its site.

Further information is available on the VR First site.

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • college student sitting at a laptop writing a college essay

    How Can Schools Manage AI in Admissions?

    Many questions remain around the role of artificial intelligence in admissions as schools navigate the balance between innovation and integrity.  

  • a hobbyist in casual clothes holds a hammer and a toolbox, building a DIY structure that symbolizes an AI model

    Ditch the DIY Approach to AI on Campus

    Institutions that do not adopt AI will quickly fall behind. The question is, how can colleges and universities do this systematically, securely, cost-effectively, and efficiently?

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • laptop screen showing Coursera course

    Coursera Introduces New Gen AI Skills Training and Credentials

    Learning platform Coursera is expanding its Generative AI Academy training portfolio with an offering for teams, as well as adding new generative AI courses, specializations, and certificates.