Florida Polytechnic University hosted its third #STEMTalks virtual event of the 2016-17 academic year on February 21 titled, “Virtual Reality: A World of Immersion.” This #STEMTalks event featured a panel of experts who are involved in different aspects of virtual reality, from gaming to flight simulation.
Tyler Hopf, Creative Director at IrisVR, joined the conversation from New York to discuss how his company’s software is revolutionizing how the construction industry interacts with projects. Tyler’s expertise brought a new, fresh perspective on virtual reality, demonstrating how VR isn’t all games — it’s making waves in the business world too.
Russ Shepard, Director of Business Development, and Dr. James J. Frey, an expert for Business Development and Marketing and a former Navy search and rescue pilot, from Aero Simulation, Inc., shared their expertise in the world of flight simulation, specifically in the training of Navy and Coast Guard pilots.
Finally, Alexander Maier, a Florida Poly student, joined the discussion from Florida Poly’s Cyber Gaming and Media lab, where he discussed his company, Alzan Studios, LLC, and his successful VR game, Holopoint.
The participants demonstrated their products while also answering questions posed by the moderator, Florida Poly’s Richard Truncale, and the audience. Some of the topics discussed included the software behind the technologies, the benefits of their use and where virtual reality might go in the future.
View the top moments from this virtual #STEMTalks below:
- Dr. Frey describes how flight simulation relates back to virtual reality:
- IrisVR’s Prospect allows professionals in the building industry to view their drawings in 3D, creating fully navigable VR walkthroughs:
- Alexander Maier discusses how the ability to code from home helped him successfully launch his own company, Alzan Studios, LLC:
- The military is using virtual reality to make every soldier a first responder, helping to lower the number of PTSD incidences, according to Dr. Frey:
- Russ Shepard describes one of the major benefits of flight simulation — saving money. According to Russ, it costs approximately $92,000 an hour to fly a B52:
- Alexander Maier describes how he conquered the motion sickness associated with virtual reality games when creating Holopoint:
- According to Tyler Hopf, virtual reality technology is useful and won’t be going away anytime soon. If anything, it will further complement other technologies:
For those interested in virtual reality careers, IrisVR is looking for qualified candidates to fill internship positions. Check out their careers page for the most up to date positions. While you’re surfing the web, visit Aero Simulation, Inc.’s website to learn more about flight simulation, from the many types of simulators to different opportunities in the field.
