Dini, Petre
(Ed.)
The National Academy of Engineering’s “Fourteen
Grand Challenges for Engineering in the Twenty-First Century”
identifies challenges in science and technology that are both
feasible and sustainable to help people and the planet prosper.
Four of these challenges are: advance personalized learning,
enhance virtual reality, make solar energy affordable and
provide access to clean water. In this work, the authors discuss
developing of applications using immersive technologies, such as
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) and their
significance in addressing four of the challenges. The Drinking
Water AR mobile application helps users easily locate drinking
water sources inside Auburn University (AU) campus, thus
providing easy access to clean water. The Sun Path mobile
application helps users visualize Sun’s path at any given time
and location. Students study Sun path in various fields but often
have a hard time visualizing and conceptualizing it, therefore
the application can help. Similarly, the application could
possibly assist the users in efficient solar panel placement.
Architects often study Sun path to evaluate solar panel
placement at a particular location. An effective solar panel
placement helps optimize degree of efficiency of using the solar
energy. The Solar System Oculus Quest VR application enables
users in viewing all eight planets and the Sun in the solar system.
Planets are simulated to mimic their position, scale, and
rotation relative to the Sun. Using the Oculus Quest controllers,
disguised as human hands in the scene, users can teleport within
the world view, and can get closer to each planet and the Sun to
have a better view of the objects and the text associated with the
objects. As a result, tailored learning is aided, and Virtual
Reality is enhanced. In a camp held virtually, due to Covid-19,
K12 students were introduced to the concept and usability of the
applications. Likert scales metric was used to assess the efficacy
of application usage. The data shows that participants of this
camp benefited from an immersive learning experience that
allowed for simulation with inclusion of VR and AR.
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