You’ve heard a lot about VR in education – now experience our latest virtual creations.
It’s been a little over 10 years since the introduction of the iPhone and it’s already hard to imagine what life would be like without one. Why is that? Well, the latest research shows that over 77 percent of Americans now own at least one smartphone – and for anyone under 29 years of age, that number is 92 percent.
Trends similar to that of smartphone adoption are occurring in the virtual reality (VR) space as well. Fortunately, we don’t need to get our hands on the latest VR headset to experience this breakthrough technology – we can simply use our existing mobile computing devices and experience a vast amount of immersive virtual content today!
Here at Connect For Education, we realize the incredible potential of VR (and augmented reality: AR) for educational purposes and are diving head first into developing immersive virtual environments for educators and students everywhere. It is with immense delight that we present our latest virtual and augmented reality content.
Immersive VR
First up is a virtual 3D environment of a traditional United States courtroom. You will notice several objects within this virtual space which you can examine and interact with. Please begin your experience by clicking the play button at the center of the window.
Guided by VR
Next is an interactive 3D vehicle model of a “big block” V8 automobile engine – useful for providing a more focused visual experience.
This tool not only allows creators to label individual components but also provide guided tours of different parts using the ‘autopilot’ function. Use the navigation bar at the bottom of the window to initiate the guided tour:
Augmented Reality (AR): the best of both worlds
One of the main disadvantages of VR is that it isolates the user from the physical world around them. This is where the application of Augmented Reality (AR) or Mixed Reality (MR) technology can provide a solution. With the use of Microsoft’s HoloLens headset – or other Windows Mixed Reality compatible headsets – the same 3D model is now displayed in the user’s physical space where they can move and manipulate the model by using intuitive hand gestures.
Notice how the user can separate engine components into separate parts using simple hand gestures.
Voice + VR = Total Control
Voice enabled VR experiences allow users to ditch their controllers and manipulate virtual models and environments with voice commands. This next example shows how a user can enlarge model size and switch between four (4) preprogrammed heart condition simulations by reciting a few simple voice commands.
We hope that you have enjoyed this showcase of some of our latest VR and AR creations. Check out our list of virtual resources which you can start using in your classroom today!
