IU East opens new virtual reality lab
Indiana University East has a new virtual reality laboratory. The Virtual Reality (VR) Lab is located in Hayes Hall Room 024.
Todd Duke, executive director of Information Technology at IU East, said the VR Lab is now open and ready for use.
Duke said the VR Lab made possible through a strong partnership with the IU Advanced Visualization Lab (AVL). The group previously assisted the campus with an IQ-Wall, he said. The IQ-Wall, located in the First Bank Richmond Tech Zone in Whitewater Hall, was the first one of its kind installed at an IU regional campus in November 2017.
The VR Lab includes 10 stations complete with high-speed computers capable of supporting the software and HTC Vive VR headsets, including 3D sound and hand panels.
Duke said the overall completion time to set up the lab took less than a year, including working out the location and obtaining the hardware. “Once we had the logistics worked out the actual setup time was less than 30 days,” Duke said.
The VR Lab is available for use by students, faculty and staff. The lab benefits all academic disciplines.
Tim Scales, senior lecturer in the School of Business and Economics, has been incorporating virtual reality into his curriculum for four years. He started with an Oculus Rift before adding a 3D printer and Carvy wood carving machine. The equipment was provided with grants through AVL at IUPUI.
“Four years ago, before we had the IQ-Wall, it wasn’t unusual to see my office full of students using the VR equipment,” Scales said. “For students, VR gets them excited about technology and how to use it. For high school students considering IU East, it attracts them here because not all college or university campuses yet provide a hands-on experience with virtual reality.”
See the full story here: https://www.iue.edu/mediarelations/iu-east-opens-new-virtual-reality-lab/