News - Immersive Technologies: Augmented and Virtual Reality at CSUSB

At CSUSB, ITS Department Academic Technologies and Innovations (ATI) are developing and creating a new interactive way for students to learn through the use of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality programs, through their emerging group Immersive Technologies.

These programs offer a hands-on way to learn a topic by being able to experience it without physically being there. If you would like an example of how this program works you could come into Pfau Library Room 003 to experience the archeology project “Ambrosia”.

“Ambrosia” allows you to take part in an archeological field site and be able to explore and learn about artifacts found throughout the experience.

The process of making these programs is highly involved, needing work to be down from several different departments. These departments include Music, Art, Computer Science, Communication, Natural Science and several other departments.

Immersive Technology has a plan to continually expand the types of experiences they would like to offer, like being able to better understand subjects on Chicano population street art or being able to recreate a crime scene for a courtroom to better understand the crime committed.

When it comes to how these projects are handled, Dr. Mihaela Popescu, a professor for the Department of Communications Studies and the Faculty Director of ATI, said, “One thing I learned from past experience is that it’s very useful to have a student as a project manager. Right now, every time we take on a new project we are identifying a graduate student who is going to serve as the project manager and channel what’s happening”.

While Dr. Popescu’s job for Immersive Technologies is to make sure that everyone works well together, in the end, it is up to the students to see how the project gets completed, thus offering up unique learning experiences that can be translated to the real world.

For those who would like to get involved, look forward to the creation of a VR club soon, and If you are interested being a part of this new field of technological creation right now, you can visit the ATI lab in Pfau 003, all creative mindsets are welcome.