Florida State University (FSU) Innovation Hub researcher Craig Moore, from the School of Information (iSchool), and Jackson Anderson, a PhD student in Anne’s College, presented their findings on virtual reality at the Visual Resources Association Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, in early October. The presentation, “Lessons Learned from Developing A VR Lab at Florida State University,” homed in on the work the researchers have done over the last three years in the Gail Rubini New Media Design Lab.

The presentation showcased their findings on physical VR lab experimentation at the Innovation Hub and highlighted the challenges they faced in providing students, faculty, and community members with access to immersive technology and documentation archives. The pair spoke with numerous other academics, gaining perspective on project documentation, archiving student work, and accessibility of past works to the public for future use and innovation.

“Learning how to package the Innovation Hub’s story and explain our mission and what we do and how we serve the faculty and students of Florida State, adapting on the fly, and speaking with different academics was crucial,” said Moore.

Highlighting creativity and design, the workspace at FSU is part computer lab and part teaching area with a “VR arcade” component. The lab currently has more than 30 VR headsets, with classes taught in the lab that focus on developing virtual reality experiences and applications. There is a tactile experimental element to the activities occurring in the lab.

“It’s one thing to digitize a document, but it’s another thing to imagine how virtual and mixed reality can extend to bring the viewer in through immersion and interactivity,” said Moore. “There is a suspension of disbelief with simulated special awareness that totally changes the way you’re interacting with whatever you’re interacting with.”

The hope is that more fragile or fleeting physical ideas will be able to live on in immersive and interactive software, allowing people to access them for years to come.

“This conference was not only enjoyable for both of us…it was also very useful,” said Moore.

The Innovation Hub continues to serve as a resource and experimentation center for university students and faculty in an increasingly digital world.