Team ET — Virtual Reality in Education

Team ET — Virtual Reality in Education: "Virtual Reality in Education
Virtual Reality has been tipped to make great strides in the technology industry over the last few years. Big names like Samsung, HTC, Google and Facebook have attached themselves to the tech, and released some pretty powerful kit.



Another growing field in VR is fieldtrips. With the improvement in graphical representations of landscapes and detail virtual reality fieldtrips are becoming more popular in education. They serve to prepare a person for a trip, re-cap details of a trip, or even replace the trip and give users the ability to visit areas they would not usually have the chance to. Dr Naomi Holmes (Sheffield Hallam), Dr Scott Turner (Northampton) and I conducted a small scale research project a couple of years ago in this field.




To read more go to: Team ET — Virtual Reality in Education



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A Serious Games MSc - Computing, virtual reality

MSc Computing (Serious Games) University of Northampton

Serious Games are those that are designed with the main purpose not being pure entertainment, including but not exclusive to applications in defence, education and training, engineering, planning environment, medicine and behavioural change. This pathway is delivered to provide skills in necessary for serious games including, programming, modelling, internet programming and mobile devices. 

Examples of the modules include:

Media Techniques

Computers now make use of a wide variety of digital media that is sound, images and graphics. The technology behind this media and the associated problems are very easy to overlook. This module describes the way in which each media is stored and manipulated within a computer system. The module guides the student through the techniques used which are all demonstrated by practical examples. The student is equipped with the techniques necessary to manipulate the media, using standard programming languages, in the same way as a commercial media package would do.

Programming

This module is designed to give the student an awareness of programming using a commercially available portable language. The student will gain programming skills, an awareness of developing client side programs and an appreciation of a computer language.  Also focus on skills needed in the analysis, design, implementation, testing and maintenance when developing a software programme. This will enable the student to make an effective contribution to a software development project. Experience will be gained to understand and implement graphic applications, consisting of two-dimensional graphics, three-dimensional graphics and animation.

Modelling for Serious Games

This module is designed to give the student an awareness of common modelling software and practices, as well as give an insight into the background and history of modelling. It will teach students to think around common problems presented over the course of a modelling project and help them develop visualisation solutions that are suitable in terms of functionality, performance and affordability for the given application. The module will also develop a wider understanding of industry applications and standards as well as imbuing the ideas and philosophies behind modelling for enterprise. Students will be exposed to cutting edge modelling technologies, including the NVision suite of immersive technologies

Immersive Technologies

This module gives students a deeper understanding of the principles and practicses of Virtual Reality technology. 

All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with

Minecraft in 3d virtual reality

As a little experiment with the Oculus Rift I wondered if I could view a Minecraft world through the oculus Rift. The answer is yes and relatively easily (certain easier than I though it was going to be).

Download Minecrift from: https://share.oculusvr.com/app/minecrift

Unzip the files and run the installer file.

figure 1

You should get something similar to figure 1. All I did then was press OK.

Figure 2

Run the Minecraft launcher and create a new profile. After creating a new profile, edit it to change Use version to release minecrift-1.6.4-b12-nohydra which can be found in the drop down menu now. Now save the profile.

Now play the Minecraft normally but with the Oculus Rift on (it helps to have two people one wearing the Oculus Rift, the other pressing keys to control the movement).

Figure 3

Most people who have tried enjoyed it but could only play for a short while. If I was susceptible  motion sickness I wouldn't try this.


Related links
http://minecraft-vr.com/

http://www.theriftarcade.com/minecrift/

http://vrwiki.wikispaces.com/Minecrift 

http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/05/10/minecraft-is-the-latest-game-to-get-oculus-rift-support-with-minecrift-mod/

http://riftmod.com/how-to-setup-minecraft-for-oculus-rift/


All views are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisations the author is associated with in any way. Nor is post advocating the use of approach described above, but is reporting on an experiment.  

Computing at Northampton 2018

A recent workshop presented by Scott Turner, Naomi Holmes, Adel Gordon and Janet Jackson at Northampton Learning andTeaching Conference 2014- Northampton 2018: Planning, Designing and Delivering Student Success gave participants an opportunity to 'play with' some of the computing technologies they have been investigating as tools for Environmental and Geography Students.

Visualising the field from Scott Turner


Related
Virtual Reality for Environmental Science Students

A recent paper was presented by John Sinclair and co-authored by Stuart Allen, Linda Davis-Sinclair, Trish Goodchild, Julie Messenger, and Scott Turner at Northampton Learning and Teaching Conference 2014- Northampton 2018: Planning, Designing and Delivering Student Success about STEM outreach and employability.

Enhancing student employability skills through partnership working in STEM outreach

John Sinclair, Stuart Allen, Linda Davis, Trish Goodchild, Julie Messenger, Scott Turner

Contact details:

john.sinclair@northampton.ac.uk

Abstract:

For over a decade, University of Northampton staff and students have delivered successful STEM outreach activities, master classes and co-working opportunities to learners in schools and FE colleges.  In addition, the University works with the local STEMNET contract holder to gain national recognition for staff and students STEM Ambassadors and recognises STEM Ambassadors through awards (staff and student) as part of its annual celebration of volunteer achievement.  Both developments derive from a culture of empowering students as partners and enhancing the student journey.

The University has developed a co-ordinated programme of training and events to empower students and staff to engage with school and community outreach.  A cross-University STEM Steering Group (SSG) which features both management and grass roots-level representation from the across the University (Science and Technology, Health, Education, the Arts and its Centre for Employability and Engagement) manages the activities, including recruiting representation from the student body.  As such, SSG is uniquely well-placed to champion STEM activities across the University and to make these available to the wider community.  Local schools are able to access inspirational science activities, whilst University students gain employability-related skills in leadership, communication, project-delivery and self-motivation and staff gain valuable CPD.  Students also identify more strongly with the University.  The total package plays a major role in contributing to University aspirations in widening participation and is hugely popular with participants.  This paper will outline the project and will showcase the positive enhancements which it offers to University of Northampton students and school participants.

Related
Junkbots

3D, immersive, virual reality, human body experience

It's the first time in the UK that a 5-sided active Cube will have been used to educate students about human anatomy.

Taken from Northampton Academy students to visit University for 3D human body experience Friday 5th July 2013

Pupils from Northampton Academy will be visiting the University of Northampton's School of Science and Technology at Avenue Campus on 8 July to investigate the human body.
The event will be led by University health ambassadors, and consist of two different workshops alongside a 3D experience at NVision, the UK's leading immersive 3D visualisation centre based at Avenue Campus.


James Powell, Manager of NVision explains: "Students attending the event will be able to experience and learn about the human anatomy via the deployment of Virtual Reality technology. The University's NVision department has created 3D stereoscopic content that will enable students to step into the immersive Cube housed at the Newton building and come face to face with life size 3D virtual humans. Students will be able to explore the virtual reality humans (both male and female) and see skin layers removed to reveal muscle structures, internal organs, blood vessels, lymph system, nerve system and skeletal structure. It's the first time in the UK that a 5-sided active Cube will have been used to educate students about human anatomy.""

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The University of Northampton's, Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies offers five courses within the MSc Computing postgraduate provision (shown below) all available either part-time or full-time. 

• MSc Computing
• MSc Computing (Internet Technology and Security)
• MSc Computing (Computer Networks Engineering)
• MSc Computing (Software Engineering)
• MSc Computing (Immersive Technologies)

New immersive course

This MSc pathway at the University of Northampton, UK aims to complement the already established pathways on the MSc Computing programme, but at the same time is also a collaboration between the Departments of Computing and Immersive Technologies; Engineering and nVision. 

This pathway is distinctive in that it will be more industrially focused towards the application of immersive technologies and high performance  computing principles applied to industrially relevant problems.  This industrial connection is strengthened by members of NVision being part of the course team. Having NVision as part of this course also enables access to cutting edge immersive technologies providing rare opportunities for students to work with multi-million pound immersive technologies in a meaningful and practical way.

This pathway is also supported by the research interests of the course team in haptics (force feedback), visualisation of data, high performance and distributed software and hardware.

Typical modules

·         Immersive Technologies

·         Media Technologies

·         Distributed Systems

·         Mathematical Modelling

·         Modelling for Enterprise

·         Programming

·         Dissertation

For more details  about this and other MSc Computing courses go to : http://www.northampton.ac.uk/info/200170/subject-areas/291/computing