On June 23, Oakland University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) held the grand opening of the Augmented Reality Center (ARC) on the second floor of the Engineering Center.
ARC was created to “provide a learning platform where engineering and art intersect,” according to the center’s webpage. The creation was a collaborative effort between OU, the College for Creative Studies (CCS) and several industry partners.
The center showcases projects including KUKA’s AR Robot, ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation’s VR Factory Tour, Lightguide’s AR Projected Guidance, Varjo’s Rave Computer and General Motors‘s Corvette Immersive Experience.
The projects were created with assistance from OU students, a partnership ARC Undergraduate Assistant Peyton Skwarczynski believes is beneficial to students’ future careers.
“It’s really interesting to see how readily available this technology is because, at other universities — you really can’t have this type of experience,” Skwarczynski said. “This lab is one of a kind, where you can have students come in and experience the demos [themselves], and then also work with developing them as well.”
Additionally, the center will include two student-created projects — a VR gaming application, created by a group of students from the CCS, and a VR ergonomic studies application, created by students in the SECS.
The CCS and SECS began working together to create the center three years ago. ARC Founding Director Dr. Khalid Mirza said they hope to emphasize cross-disciplinary education.
“We knew that this immersive technology was going to be big,” Dr. Mirza said. “This was one of the motivations to get into this field and then create programs for students so they are prepared for those future jobs.
We were teaching them the technology part and all that was missing was the art side,” he added. “A student has to understand both sides and then when they work in future jobs, they will be able to produce some great stuff.”
Dr. Mirza believes regardless of industry, it’s important to be acquainted with AR and VR technologies.
“We’re talking about the technology of the future,” Dr. Mirza said. “What is the best way to be skillful in that area? Learn to be associated with that technology.”
Graduate student Sana Mirza agrees, saying students can apply these technologies to any discipline.
“The idea behind the whole thing is that you don’t have to be an engineer to learn this stuff and to be interested in it and apply it to whatever it is that you’re working on,” Mirza said. “Even in the counseling field, we’re looking at how AR and VR can be implemented for therapeutic purposes. There’s a totally open application for any industry that you can think of.
It’s just cool and fun to try out,” Mirza added. “This is kind of the future of the industry, really — this is the direction it’s heading. So the sooner you can get in on the ground floor and check it out, you’ll be kind of at the cutting edge of it all.”
The ARC will be open to students and the general public beginning July 23. People interested in visiting can do so on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
