Having previously developed mixed reality (MR) training solutions such as HoloPatient for medical and nursing schools, GIGXR has announced a new contract to develop a chemistry training simulation for US Air Force Academy (USAFA) cadets. Called HoloChem it’ll be an MR application for USAFA 100 and 200 level chemistry courses.
GIGXR received a $750,000 USD Phase II Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract from AFWERX to develop HoloChem which will be used by cadets in conjunction with Microsoft HoloLens 2, aiding them in their chemistry studies.
The platform will utilise GIGXR’s mixed reality expertise from its other applications, providing lifelike learning experiments which take traditional chemistry curricula and makes them more engaging. Like most XR teaching applications, HoloChem will utilise gamification techniques to encourage concept retention and critical thinking skills.
“Traditional chemistry labs lack the immersive, safe-to-fail environments students need to develop the critical thinking skills for using chemistry in the real world,” said Captain Wale Lawal, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry for the U.S. Air Force Academy in a statement. “GIGXR’s mixed reality learning solutions allows USAFA educators to immerse students in ultra-realistic, interactive scenarios to transform their understanding of chemistry from rote memorization or rigid ‘cookbook chemistry’ to real-time problem-solving. This kind of learning mimics the challenges they might face in the future, which would otherwise be impossible to simulate or place our students at risk.”
“Being awarded with the Phase II SBIR Contract is an achievement we’re incredibly proud of and marks a milestone in mixed reality’s valuable impact on education,” said David King Lassman, CEO, GIGXR. “We’re honoured to be working with the U.S. Air Force Academy, whose reputation for academic excellence and technological innovation is second to none. USAFA needed a product that enabled their instructors to provide hands-on, immersive learning and future-proof execution. HoloChem simulates key real-life experiences that labs simply cannot and allows instructors to reach multiple campuses or remote students to match the ultra-realistic learning experience available to the cadets in the instructor’s own classroom.”
HoloChem is slated to be deployed in early 2022 with instructors using HoloLens 2 headsets to share content with students. They’ll also have access to the MR headsets or can connect via Android or iOS smartphones and tablets. For further updates on GIGXR’s latest mixed reality projects, keep reading VRFocus.
Source: Read Full Article