The campus aims to develop and raise the profile of emerging solutions in 5G and extended reality (XR)
Students and faculty at the University of Glasgow will have access to top-tier XR technologies, the university announced on Friday last week.
The institution partnered with EON Reality to build an EON-XR Centre on the campus explore learning experiences for students in emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).
The facility will provide AR software to student mobile devices and headsets across numerous disciplines such as engineering, science, medical, and others.
According to the company website, EON Reality supports Facebook Oculus, Magic Leap, Google, Microsoft HoloLens, HTC VIVE, Apple, and other mixed reality (MR) device platforms.
EON Reality has also developed its Knowledge Metaverse, or online repository of learning tools from partnered institutions, where instructors and students can develop materials for the programme.
Top universities such as the Singapore Institute of Technology and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) will have access to the new XR programme.
Comments on EON Reality Parnership
Professor Frank Coton, University Vice Principal for Academic Planning & Technological Innovation, said the University was “delighted” to partner with EON Reality for the new Centre.
He added in a statement,
“Despite being an ancient university, Glasgow has always embraced the opportunities that new technologies offer to enhance student learning. XR technology will become a significant feature of the future global learning landscape and this partnership will allow us to help shape that future”
Dan Lejerskar, Founder of EON Reality, added it was an “honour” to partner with the University of Glasagow to set new standards on high-level education, adding,
“Now, we can help launch them into the future with EON-XR and our other solutions. The University of Glasgow is an absolutely legendary academic institution and will make an incredible addition both to our global network as well as the knowledge metaverse”
Professor Muhammad Imran, Dean of University of Glasgow UESTC, added exploring XR technologies surpassed “the pandemic needs of enabling learners”.
XR would also enhance even in “face-to-face” classroom settings to empower learners with “better visualisation and the ability to repeat” training for vital skills in a safe environment, he added.
He added his team would also employ the University’s Urban Testbed to explore high-end digital connectivity 5G technologies can provide for “seamless” XR experiences.
Paul Coffey, Chief Executive of the Scotland 5G Centre, who funded the testbed, added end user experiences for XR technologies were “highly dependent” on resolution and immersive video quality as well as “agile responses to users’ actions”.
5G digital connectivity solutions would also have a major role in improving user experiences and “updtate of XR technology”, he said, adding,
“5G will be a game changer for augmented and virtual reality, and will enable many new use cases and applications. Scotland 5G centre is keen to explore the role of 5G to enhance the experience of XR technology for its users”
The announcement comes days after the VRARA Global Summit 2021 Europe event discussed emerging vertical markets for 5G networks, namely as companies and campuses developed private infrastructure for specific use cases in manufacturing, military, education, and others.
An exec from Finnish telecom firm Nokia added such 5G application would lead to the development of VR/AR 5G networks capable of hosting consumer-level traffic for bespoke XR solutions.
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