CAST is diving into virtual reality with new lab
By Summer Hom summer.hom@myheraldreview.com
Mar 11, 2022 Updated Apr 17, 2022
Ryan Straight, assistant professor of practice in applied computing and cyber operations faculty fellow and honors professor, holds a Merge Cube, which is transformed into a coronavirus on a device in the University of Arizona Sierra Vista's Mixed Augmented Virtual Extended Reality Lab.
Mark Levy Herald/Review
Ryan Straight interacts with a Holo Lens 2 to create 3D graffiti.
Mark Levy Herald/Review
SIERRA VISTA — “It’s difficult to imagine a future where extended reality isn’t a part of everyone’s day-to-day life and experiences.”
The University of Arizona College of Applied Science and Technology is tapping into the metaverse — making virtual and augmented reality a seamlessly incorporated part of our daily lives — with their Mixed Augmented Virtual Extended Reality Lab, or otherwise known as the MA{VR}X Lab (pronounced “mavericks” lab).
“The lab offers an incredibly wide range of equipment and software in this respect, from a high-end gaming PC capable of live-streaming VR to the Microsoft HoloLens 2, an industry and military-standard AR headset,” lab director and Assistant Professor of Practice in Applied Computing & Cyber Operations Dr. Ryan Straight said in an email.
“MA{VR}X Lab is primarily an applied research lab, meaning we focus on bridging the connection between the technology and our communities,” he continued. “This ranges from collaborating with the VR lab on Fort Huachuca in public events to creating immersive, educational virtual tours, like the one we did of Stewart Observatory.”
Straight said students who are interested in “extended reality” — which includes interpersonal relationships between avatars, building augmented reality games and more — just have to ask.
“Students that are interested in virtually — pun intended — anything that fits within the realm of ‘extended reality,’ whether that’s interpersonal relationships between avatars in the metaverse, building an augmented reality game, or anything in between, simply need to reach out and we’re happy to provide support and guidance,” said Straight.
Located in room B-158 on CAST’s Sierra Vista Campus off of Colombo Avenue, Straight said the MA{VR}X Lab opened to the public in the summer of 2021.
Straight said he pitched the idea of building the curricula of the lab under the term “extended reality” to include multiple facets of VR, AR and green screen technology rather than limiting it to just one branch.
“I was provided a room on campus, a modest start-up budget, some administrative support, and some time in my contract to build the college’s first lab from scratch,” said Straight. “It’s been a wild ride so far but I’m really enjoying how much folks in the community, especially, are excited about having access to it.
“We’ve offered several open-house events where the public can come in and exercise on Mars, explore the bottom of the ocean, or even draw in midair using just their fingers.”
In addition to the VR and AR technology, the lab also incorporates elements of holograms, including one of school dean Dr. Gary Packard, according to CAST marketing specialist Emily Vickers.
“Believe it or not, the same technology used to get the holograms up and running for the Holographic Human is the same one used by game streamers: a green screen,” said Straight. “It’s surprisingly low-tech, at least from that standpoint.”
Straight said it’s all about opening doors to students to see what’s possible. He said that with this technology, there’s numerous opportunities for innovation in the science, medical and business fields.
“We can provide an industry-standard 3D model of a structure with measurements within 1% of reality to regional commerce students to design and analyze a business’s physical space without needing them to physically go anywhere,” said Straight.
“We can put someone with a fear of public speaking virtually in front of a large crowd of people, and, in collaboration with the psychology program, strap an EEG (wlectroencephalogram) on their head so they can study their own brainwaves.
“Since we’re not limited to the boundaries of physical experience, the opportunities for academic and professional growth we can provide to students is virtually — pun intended, again — limitless.”
Straight highlighted the importance of providing students with access to this technology as a way to prepare them for the future with all its uncertainties and complexities.
“It is crucial that our students not only have access to these technologies now but develop the skills to build upon and improve how we use them going forward,” said Straight.
“There’s that saying, ‘We’re trying to prepare students for careers that don’t exist yet.’ In our case, we’re trying to prepare students for a reality that doesn’t exist yet. My goal is to make sure they’re the ones constructing it.”