Oakland University Opens Augmented Reality Center Lab

“Oh, wow!” Anytime someone steps into a world of augmented or virtual reality, that is often their reaction.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are two principal forms of immersive technology and merge a person’s physical environment with a digital or simulated experience. For those who attended the opening of the Augmented Reality Center (ARC) Lab on Friday, April 7, a chorus of “wows” could be heard throughout the day.

ARC is a collaboration between OU’s School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) and the College for Creative Studies (CCS), a top-ranked art and design school in Detroit. Working in partnership with several corporate sponsors, the center is creating educational opportunities for students who are interested in exploring how to develop immersive technology applications.

At the heart of ARC’s mission is to create a learning environment that empowers engineers and designers to work together, learn from one another and understand each other’s perspectives.
“There is a huge demand, especially in manufacturing, for people with talent and skills to work in this field,” according to Dr. Khalid Mirza, Founding Director of the Augmented Reality Center.

“But to do so requires a person to have solid core competencies in both technology and design.”

In response, a committee of leaders and faculty from SECS and CCS has begun evaluating current courses and designing a new curriculum that will be grouped to offer students from both schools a pathway to enhance their degrees with immersive technology skills.

“An AR or VR application can be engineered and programmed very well, but it also has to be visually compelling and engage the user effectively,” says Dr. Mirza. “That’s why the combination of engineering and design is so important.”

The ARC Lab, located in the Engineering Center building, is the center’s space for showcasing the latest immersive technologies. Current demonstrations include a VR driving simulator, an AR robot, a projection-based assembly process, and several AR and VR headset demonstrations which will be continually updated as the technology advances. Dr. Mirza shares, “We want students and faculty to come here to explore and ignite their interest in the field. We want industry members to bring their customers here to check out the technology and imagine creative solutions to their needs. We want school children to come and see what’s possible in their future.”

Plans are to open the ARC Lab publicly later this summer. Soon, everyone will have a chance to put on a headset and say, “Oh, wow!”

To learn more about the Augmented Reality Center (ARC), reach out to Dr. Khalid Mirza, (ARC Founding Director), or Deborah Kiefer, (ARC Project Manager), or visit the center's webpage.