About XR at IU

• Overview
• Locations for XR at IU
• Software, hardware, and tools
• Resources
• XR news at IU

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Overview

XR stands for "Extended Reality" and ultimately serves as a shorthand to describe a range of personal computing platforms that make use of our natural 3D world in concert with computer graphics/media. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) remain the most popular examples of XR technology. XR is an emerging area of intensive research and innovation.

Technologies under the umbrella of XR can include:

• Virtual reality (VR): Virtual reality is the better known form of XR technology (such as PlaystationVR and Oculus Quest2). In VR, you are usually wearing a head-mounted display and your vision of the real world is obscured so you can be transported digitally into another location or reality. It's a fully digital medium which allows you to be fully immersed in the intended experience.
• Augmented reality (AR): Augmented reality allows users to still see their real-life surroundings, adding digital content into their view of the real world. With AR, your vision is not obscured and you can still move around in your regular environment. Since it is technologically even trickier to pull off well, this is not the more common form of XR technology, although as with all XR tech, AR quality and capabilities are constantly improving.
• Mixed reality (MR): Mixed reality is a term that describes any mix of AR, VR, and other sense simulations (such as smell and haptics) in order to digitally alter a person's reality and fully immerse them into the experience.

Locations for XR at IU

• IU Indianapolis:
  • Idea Garden
  • IU School of Medicine Nexus Collaborative Learning Lab
  • University Library VR Lab
  • Center for Teaching and Learning
• IU Columbus:
  • IU Columbus Simulation Center for nursing
• IU East:
  • The Virtual Reality (VR) Lab

Software, hardware, and tools

Here is a short list of some of the more common technologies used to create, view, and work with XR:

• Software:
  • Creative VR software
    • Unity
    • Unreal Engine
  • 3D design, visualization, and file sharing
    • Sketchfab
    • SketchUp
    • Blender
    • Maya
    • Autodesk
    • Tinkercad
    • Thingiverse
  • Social and collaborative VR spaces
    • AltspaceVR
    • Spatial
    • Microsoft Teams
• Tools and hardware:
  • VR:
    • Meta (formerly Oculus)
    • HTC
    • Pico
    • Google Cardboard
  • AR:
    • Merge Cube
    • Microsoft Hololens 2
    • Magic Leap

Resources

• Contacts for XR at IU:
  • Email the Idea Garden at igarden@iu.edu
  • Email the UITS Student Outreach team it4iu@iu.edu
  • Email the Advanced Visualization Lab at vishelp@iu.edu
  • Contact the IU Indianapolis Center for Teaching and Learning
• Other links and resources:
  • Learn about emerging technologies at IU and what classes are available in different emerging techs at go.iu.edu/emergingtech
  • Teaching.IU's Toolfinder

XR news at IU

• Teaching with and in Virtual Reality: Real-life advantages that go well beyond the wow factor
• Elizabeth Thill and the Great Marble Map of Rome
• Beyond gaming and trinkets: VR and 3D printing for future-forward and socially impactful careers