Virtual Reality for Education, Relaxation, and Fun!

The Data Visualization Lab, housed in the Bello Center for Information Technology and managed by Krupp Library staff is a space for faculty, staff, and students to expand learning beyond the classroom.  Faculty can incorporate VR/XR tools into their courses to provide immersive experiences for students.  Some examples of tools available include: 

• Google Earth VR 

• Immersive locations around the world related to culture, geography, infrastructure, economics and more. 

• VR Films, Documentaries, and Cinematic Experiences 

• Science – Greenland Melting, Through the Ages: President Obama Celebrates National Parks, Stanford Ocean Acidification Experience 

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – I Am A Man, Travelling While Black, Anne Frank House, We Wait, and more. 

• Virtualitics 

• A tool for visualization and exploration of complex, high-dimensional data sets.  

• Ovation VR 

• Practice public speaking with a variety of audiences and locations.  Receive feedback and track progress on improvement in public speaking skills. 

• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes 

• A fun and fast-paced team building activity that includes testing communication and problem-solving skills. 

• VR Meditation Experiences 

• A variety of guided and non-guided immersive meditation experiences including Marvelous Machine, Meditation VR, Visitations and more. 

The DVL has hosted classes from Economics, English and Cultural Studies, Science, and Business, in addition to hosting co-curricular events for students in collaboration with student organizations. 

To explore opportunities for curricular use or student life activities, contact Laura Kohl (lkohl@bryant.edu) in the library 

The Data Visualization Lab (DVL) was opened on April 1, 2019 with a grant of equipment from HP as part of the EDUCAUSE-HP Campus of the Future initiative. Located in Bello 101, the lab houses: 

Five HP Z-series graphics workstations 

Two HP Z VR Backpack workstations 

A 2×3 array of high-resolution, wall mounted digital displays 

High-resolution, 360 degree cameras for field use 

The workstations are equipped with Oculus Rift S and HP headsets and controllers, enabling fully-immersive, 6 DOF experiences such as 360 video and synthetic digital environments. The lab is supported by a team of staff drawn from Krupp Library, Academic Affairs, and Academic Computing.