Coventry University has installed the latest 3D immersive technology to help its engineering students better understand mechanical designs and projects they’ve created as part of a £3million investment programme.
The Powerwall at the Beatrice Shilling Building is a floor-to-ceiling high-definition screen with 3D immersive technology that allows students to display a design on screen and interact directly with it, enabling them to zoom in and see it from all angles. This can be used to help develop prototypes and will form a focal point for collaborative design sessions and discussions.
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‘This is a high capability, high-definition screen, capable of 3D imagery with tracking software that allows you to fully immerse with the screen itself,’ said Hardeep Nandra, technical skills advisor at Coventry University’s College of Engineering, Environment and Science. ‘It gives students the chance to interrogate their designs – you can see right into the components and drawings, allowing learners to critique any areas that they might want to redesign. It’s an ideal tool for students in the department to use for their learning.’
Through an immersive classroom experience, the Powerwall has the ability to transform and enrich student learning across many engineering subject areas. It provides a high-quality stereoscopic immersive experience that’s capable of taking students inside an engineering works, vehicle workshop, or construction site, or transporting them virtually to visit and study real-world locations anywhere on the planet.
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Large groups of students have the ability to review designs and conduct interactive sessions, moving seamlessly from augmented reality factory simulations to component design optimisation.
The university’s School of Health and Care has also opened its new VR Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) suite, which features a huge simulation screen wrapped around three walls on which different healthcare settings and scenarios are simulated. Students can also interact with simulated patients by using 3D headsets.
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The CAVE enables students to practice clinical events in a safe setting and put their learning into practice. They can zoom in on interactive organs such as the heart to better understand their structures and how they work, or interact with a healthcare mannequin connected to the screen.