Sightseeing, virtual style
By: Kristen McKissic
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Campus
Imagine standing in a classroom, but taking a virtual tour overseas.
An emerging technology, Pocket Virtual Worlds, allows one to use a handheld device while walking around with the screen of the device exploring virtual sights, said Jason Mellen, visual communication and technology education.
This project, which pairs the University with Case Western Reserve University, has been cited as emerging technology by the New Media Consortium.
It was one of six identified by the consortium in the 2008 Horizon Report.
"Pocket Virtual Worlds doesn't have that relying factor on external signals: WiFi, GPS," said Junior Eric Gang, who worked on the project. "It's all relative to where you are.
Users can capture and map an area using this technology. It does not rely on an actual coordinate.
This three-dimensional photographic virtual world is likely to be introduced to higher education and specific organizations within the next five years.
This device can also be used with tourism.
"We want to get students who don't get to travel or go on field trips a chance to explore through a computer generated world," Mellen said. "It is a virtual reality world filled with photographs."
The developers, Larry Hatch of the University and Jared Bendis of Case Western Reserve, have been working on this project for several years. This developed when graphic photography and virtual reality ideas were put together.
Students have also helped work on this project.
"It was an incredible experience working on that project," Gang said. "Learning the route of 360 degree photography opened my interest up to other things."
Working on this project has required students to apply prior knowledge pertaining to research education.
"It taught me how to tackle a problem that doesn't have a solution you can find," Gang said. "No one else is doing it so you can't just Google it. It's true problem solving."
Photographs create panoramas which can be navigated by using a handheld device.
"It is currently in a PDA [personal digital assistant] but we're trying to get it into a mobile device," Hatch said. "It's a bigger market."
An emerging technology, Pocket Virtual Worlds, allows one to use a handheld device while walking around with the screen of the device exploring virtual sights, said Jason Mellen, visual communication and technology education.
This project, which pairs the University with Case Western Reserve University, has been cited as emerging technology by the New Media Consortium.
It was one of six identified by the consortium in the 2008 Horizon Report.
"Pocket Virtual Worlds doesn't have that relying factor on external signals: WiFi, GPS," said Junior Eric Gang, who worked on the project. "It's all relative to where you are.
Users can capture and map an area using this technology. It does not rely on an actual coordinate.
This three-dimensional photographic virtual world is likely to be introduced to higher education and specific organizations within the next five years.
This device can also be used with tourism.
"We want to get students who don't get to travel or go on field trips a chance to explore through a computer generated world," Mellen said. "It is a virtual reality world filled with photographs."
The developers, Larry Hatch of the University and Jared Bendis of Case Western Reserve, have been working on this project for several years. This developed when graphic photography and virtual reality ideas were put together.
Students have also helped work on this project.
"It was an incredible experience working on that project," Gang said. "Learning the route of 360 degree photography opened my interest up to other things."
Working on this project has required students to apply prior knowledge pertaining to research education.
"It taught me how to tackle a problem that doesn't have a solution you can find," Gang said. "No one else is doing it so you can't just Google it. It's true problem solving."
Photographs create panoramas which can be navigated by using a handheld device.
"It is currently in a PDA [personal digital assistant] but we're trying to get it into a mobile device," Hatch said. "It's a bigger market."
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