Charles Palmer discusses virtual reality and its applications in education. He is the program lead and professor of interactive media at Harrisburg University, which uses VR for student engagement. The document provides a brief history of VR, from early prototypes in the 1950s-60s to recent developments like Oculus Rift. It describes how VR works through stereoscopy and head-mounted displays. Examples of VR uses in education include anatomy simulations and safety trainings. Harrisburg University's own VR projects include games for science learning and virtual plant tours. Palmer argues VR can enhance learning through collaboration, motivation from immersive games, and new approaches to rewards.
2. Introduction
Charles Palmer
Harrisburg University
Program lead and Professor of Interactive Media
Executive Director, Center for Advanced
Entertainment and Learning Technologies
Gamification author
Game developer
3d Printing enthusiast
Budding data scientist
Social
@charlespalmer (Twitter)
http://www.slideshare.net/charlespalmerhu
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleslpalmer
3. Harrisburg University
Only non-profit science and technology-focused comprehensive
non-profit university between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
Urban campus in the heart of the State Capitol
Supports the academic success of members of groups historically
under-represented in applied science and technology fields
Private not-for-profit 501(c)(3) university
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
June 22, 2009
14-story $73-million state-of-the-art Academic Center
Wireless, laptop campus
Student/Faculty Ratio: 13 to 1
HU has NOT raised tuition in the last 4 years
Undergraduate Programs
Analytics
Biotechnology
Computer and Information Science
Geospatial Technology
Integrative Sciences
Interactive Media
Management & eBusiness
Graduate Programs
Analytics
Computer Information Sciences
Information Systems Engineering & Management
Learning Technologies & Media Systems
Project Management
4. Overview
What is VR?
A little bit of history
Current technology
How it works
Examples
What’s next…
5. What is virtual reality
Virtual Reality is the use of computer
technology to create a simulated
environment. Unlike traditional user
interfaces where the user views a
screen, these systems immerse the user
inside of 3D worlds creating a richer,
fuller interactive experience.
6. “Students with access to virtual
reality in a geometry class have
a better understanding of those
geometric shape (especially
planes) and in geography
students have a better
understanding of spatial
relationships in terms of
landscapes and cityscapes”
Richard Byrne, President
Byrne Instructional Media, LLC
10. Hugo Gernsback
(August 16, 1884 – August 19, 1967)
Born Hugo Gernsbacher, was a
Luxembourgish-American inventor,
writer, editor, and magazine publisher,
best known for publications including
first science fiction magazine. His
contributions to the genre as publisher
were so significant that, along with the
novelists H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, he
is sometimes called "The Father of
Science Fiction”. In his honor, annual
awards presented at the World Science
Fiction Convention are named the
“Hugo”.
12. Timeline
Morton Heilig
Sensorama – 1956-1962
The Sensorama was able to display
stereoscopic 3-D images in a wide-angle
view, provide body tilting, supply stereo
sound, and also had tracks for wind and
aromas to be triggered during the film.
13. Timeline
Ivan Sutherland
Head Mounted Display
The Sword of Damocles is widely
considered to be the first virtual reality
(VR) and augmented reality (AR) head-
mounted display (HMD) system. It was
created in 1968 by computer scientist
Ivan Sutherland with the help of his
student Bob Sproull. Before he began
working toward what he termed "the
ultimate display", Ivan Sutherland was
already well respected for his
accomplishments in computer graphics.
14. Timeline
DataGlove
Thomas G. Zimmerman
US Patent 4542291
Various sensor technologies are used to capture
physical data such as bending of fingers. Often
a motion tracker, such as a magnetic tracking
device or inertial tracking device, is attached to
capture the global position/rotation data of the
glove. These movements are then interpreted
by the software that accompanies the glove, so
any one movement can mean any number of
things.
15. VPL, Inc.
One of the first companies that
developed and sold virtual
reality products. It was founded by VR
pioneer Jaron Lanier in 1984. VPL started
in the corner of Lanier's cottage in the
San Francisco Bay Area. "VPL" stood for
"Visual Programming Languages", and
Lanier said that the goal of the company
was to create a visual programming
language to bring programming to a
mass audience.
Timeline
16. Timeline
USAF Super Cockpit Program
1986-1989
Dr. Thomas Furness is a pioneer in the
development of interfaces between
humans and complex machines. Most of
his work has centered on the concept of
virtual interface technologies which
prove a circumambience of three
dimensional spatial information to the
human using the visual, auditory and
tactile sensory modalities.
17. Timeline
PC Power VR
1998-2000
The first personal computers capable of
running virtual reality came onto the
market in the late 90s. But the head-
mounted displays were cumbersome
and of lower resolution.
18. Timeline
Oculus Rift
August 2012
In just 30 days, the Oculus Rift
Kickstarter campaign raised $2,437,429,
a mere 947% over their intended goal. It
was a testament that the average tech
consumer was ready for a VR device.
19. Timeline
Facebook Buys Oculus
April 2014
The $2 billion acquisition deal of the
virtual reality pioneer becomes official.
The exact price of the acquisition came
out to $2,001,985,000. The VR startup
will operate somewhat independently
and maintain its main offices in the Irvine
and Los Angeles areas.
20. Timeline
Major Players enter the VR
Market
Aside from Facebook, 10 other
companies were added to the VR
Watchlist: Amazon, Google, Virtuix,
AMD, Qualcomm, Samsung, Nvidia,
Microsoft, Sony, and Valve.
27. How does it work: Stereoscopy
The technological development of
three-dimensional photography was
also a social innovation. The new ability
to share visual experiences gave rise to
mid-19th-century viewing parties.
Guests at these social gatherings would
pass around individual stereo viewers,
which permitted them to gaze at
distant lands, unique botany, or even
art.
http://exhibitions.kelsey.lsa.umich.edu/fwk/stereo.html
Usage: 1850-1920Stereoscopic viewer 1970s Stereoscopic viewer marketed to kids and families
31. Demos
Education
The Body VR
Fight for Falluja
Shark Shipwreck
Elephants on the Brink
Google Expeditions
Safety in a Box
Google VR in the Classroom
VR in Education (AMD)
Entertainment
I Expect You to Die
Trials on Tatooine
Snow World
RCSI Medical Training Simulator
The Presence
The Void
What is the Void
Ghostbusters
The Body VR: An immersive tour through the human
body using the Oculus Rift.
33. VR & AR @ HU
Plasma Racer
Interactive game for anatomy
and physiology students
Race against time through the
circulatory system
Virtusphere
Title
Description
Goal
Platform
View on Youtube
34. VR & AR @ HU
Plant Safety
Training simulation for industrial
plant employees
Complete a series of orientation
“shifts” to illustrate facility
knowledge and organization
competencies.
Virtusphere
Title
Description
Goal
Platform
View on Youtube
35. VR & AR @ HU
Gaze Analytics
Recreate grocery shopping
experience in VR.
Track shopper’s gaze path to see
which packages and locations
attract the most attention.
Oculus
Title
Description
Goal
Platform
36. VR & AR @ HU
AR Exploration
Explore usages of AR
technologies in STEM education
Work with zSpace and Aayuna to
develop the next generation of
AR applications and
technologies.
zSpace
Title
Description
Goal
Platform
37. ways virtual reality could change
education
1. Collaboration in virtual reality classroom fosters social integration of learners
Dr. Conor Galvin, University College Dublin School of Education and Lifelong Learning
2. Not possible in reality is possible in virtual reality
Inge Knudsen, Learnmark Business College (Central Denmark)
3. Virtual game-based experience increases students’ motivation
Jane Wilde, Instructional Designer at Linfield College (Mcminnville, Oregon)
4. Virtual reality introduces new approach to rewards
5. Virtual platforms and headsets are the new tools for inspiring creative learning
Tom Chatfield, Author, Broadcaster, Tech Theorist
5
http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2014/09/5-ways-virtual-reality-will-change-education/
39. Thank you
Thanks for your time
Contact me via
Twitter @charlespalmer
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleslpalmer
Download this presentation from
http://www.slideshare.net/charlespalmerhu
40. Alternate Reality Games: Gamification for Performance leads us
through the advantages of applying ARGs to the workplace and
the classroom, revealing how businesses and schools are using
them to shift their focus from efficiency to an ability to learn and
respond rapidly to external changes.
http://bit.ly/GfP-AMZN
Notas del editor
recreate an emotional experience
VR headset, with gloves cost about $750,000.
skill transfer
expensive
within about 20 years, the computing power for vr was available in consumer computers
but cumbersome
induced nausea
and had poor graphic capabilities
the technologies used in VR became accessible
because of this VR was brought from the research lab, to our pockets
he had an emotional and physical reaction to the experience
Before the advent of cinema and Thomas Edison's 35 mm film camera, many people experimented with creating illusions through images and photography. Pre-cinematic equipment included stereoscopic viewers and views, which took two simultaneous images of a subject from slightly different angles. When viewed through a stereoscopic viewer, the image appeared three-dimensional.
we won't spend a lot of time on these because I don't want any of you getting sick. I suffer from motion sickness, which makes grading student work pretty difficult.
Looking to partner with teachers on app development
1- Dr. Galvin reported that students struggling to become part of the class group, were able to become accepted by their peers because of their technology skills. Shy students ‘come out of their shells’ and the kids, previously lacking in confidence in their math skills, became self-assured technology experts.
2 - children learn best by doing or by being - The ability to introduce practical knowledge to the classroom without actually leaving it, makes educational experience invaluable.
3 - “Conducting game-based learning experiences in a virtual environment is enhanced by the following factors,” said Wilde. “The player is immersed in the game world – an ‘authentic context’ for the activities. The playing field is leveled – a player’s gender, weight, race don’t have to interfere with their acceptance by other players. You are judged by your actions. A lot can be accomplished in a virtual environment that would not be possible in real life. Also it is memorable – the visual and kinesthetic experiences in virtual worlds contribute to our ability to learn.”
4 - “Success is acknowledged,” said Wilde. “There are rewards for achievements. Failures are generally ignored. This is the opposite of much education — where success is neutral and failure is punished.”
5 - “I’m actually slightly cynical about using virtual reality in education, in that I think people often get too excited at gadgets instead of thinking fully about what a great educational experience looks like,” Tom Chatfield, an author of a number of books on digital culture and a gaming theorist, whose appearances include TED Global, told Hypergrid Business. “For me, perhaps the most exciting thing that could come of this type of technology is students themselves getting excited about, and using it to create things – and learn via the act of creating.”