Xperiential Reality Lab advances UW-Stout Polytechnic’s mission

Xperiential Reality Lab advances UW-Stout Polytechnic’s mission of connecting technology with applied learning

XR Lab, unique in western Wisconsin, is hub for virtual, augmented, mixed reality experiences

Story Link

Photos attached

XR is part of the leading edge of learning and innovation. It can simulate professional environments and support product visualization, workforce training and collaborative research, virtually immersing students in experiences and scenarios related to their industries.

Initial campus collaborations in XR have included fashion design and development and professional and technical communication students using the 3D-modeling photogrammetry software to build digital fashion portfolios of apparel collections.

Students in Structure of English are conceptualizing a virtual reality experience that engages users in linguistic concepts. They are creating a game with 16 VR concepts for different aspects of language analysis, history and learning.

“These experiences help students apply knowledge, build practical skills and prepare for their future professions,” Hirl said. “Because XR is a rapidly evolving technology with applications in health care, engineering, gaming and many other industries, the lab will help students understand its possibilities, uses and development processes. Familiarity with XR will better prepare them to work with emerging technologies in their careers.”

The lab plans to develop collaborative projects across degree fields and with industry partners:

• Art and design students can paint, sculpt and create in digital environments.
• Cybersecurity students may practice methods of securing systems against hackers.
• Early childhood education students can engage in realistic classroom scenarios.
• Engineering or construction students can use VR to develop large-scale projects.
• Game design students may develop experiences and games for industry clients.
• History students can visit sites around the world through immersive 360-degree video.
• Risk management students can prepare safety training scenarios for employers.
• Pre-med students may observe cell biology composition, CRISPR technology and genetics.

Previously, XR projects and equipment were distributed among several campus labs and departments, which limited their visibility, accessibility and potential for collaboration.

“The XR Lab was created to bring these resources together in a centralized, welcoming space where students, faculty, and staff from across UW-Stout Polytechnic can explore, develop and participate in XR experiences,” Hirl said.

The XR Lab is just one of the nearly 300 laboratory and studio spaces on campus, where labs outnumber traditional classrooms by a 3-to-1 ratio.

UW-Stout Polytechnic offers more than 70 industry-aligned undergraduate and graduate degrees and 40 professional certificate programs. One of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Stout Polytechnic is distinguished by applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences to prepare students for success in engineering, technology, design, management and other fields.