What is the Immersion Studio?
The Immersion Studio, located in Alkek One, is a hub of industry experts who are passionate about sharing and teaching X-reality technology to students. These experts utilize top-of-the-line equipment and engage in innovative collaborative projects. The space is booming with support and connections, with entities both on and off university grounds, impacting the tech world and gaining the attention of industry giants within and beyond the San Marcos city limits.
The Immersion Studio is a part of Alkek One that is open to all students, and serves as an XR-focused control center. XR stands for X-reality which includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Even if a student has never heard of virtual reality before, they can be well-acquainted with the world of XR after stepping through the glass doors of the Immersion Studio.
“It is a safe space for students to have an easy entry point into it,” said Emerging Technology Supervisor Khoi H. Nguyen, Ph.D.
My visit to the world of VR
I visited the Immersion Studio with some friends, and the first thing I did when I walked in was request a headset to plunge right into the XR realm! While workshops are available, students can also stop by to play games and get more familiar with the dazzling world of XR. Soon, there will be some new headsets to explore thanks to some external funding from Meta (Facebook) and Unity Technology.
A world of limitless possibilities
There are no prerequisites, previous knowledge, or equipment required when you walk into the space. This is because, baked into the foundational mission of the Immersion Studio is the desire to create an accessible and exciting space for students to discover the cutting-edge technology being created in real-time around them. Students are encouraged to come in and get acquainted with XR in a safe space.
Another thing students can do is explore both Earth and space, all from within the Italian Marble exterior of Alkek library. Nguyen talked about the study abroad classes that use the immersive space to learn about the places in which they plan to travel. This is a great way to get familiar with your destination before you get there.
Building community
At Alkek One there is an abundance of expertise to guide students, making it a safe space for students to explore, collaborate, and build community. One fact that contributes to the community-feel of Alkek One is how much student employees are valued, and the Immersion Studio is no exception.
“In the Immersion Studio, a lot of the time you see student employees even though they are not working,” Nguyen said. “They like to hang out. Because, again, it’s an amazing space for them to collaborate with other students, and I make it feel like it’s their home… And truth be told, even if they’re not working, they’re willing to help. It’s a very conducive atmosphere for growth.”
Support through grant funding
The Immersion Studio is recognized and supported by several well-respected entities, and continuously has different competitions going on. Most of the equipment that students can try at the Immersion Studio was provided by the Alkek Foundation Grant, and the new headsets came from Meta (Facebook). Last semester The Immersion Studio applied for, and received, a social impact grant from Unity Technology in which a graduate student was awarded a full-ride scholarship for winning a competition run by the Immersion Studio, and judged by Nguyen.
“Unity Technology is probably the largest, by market capital, for XR development,” Nguyen said. “So they are the cream of the crop.”
There are also active competitions open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The ultimate reason for competitions like this are to expand and replicate the expertise and bandwidth of the booming space! With more growth and exciting ideas coming from the Immersion Studio, comes more demands for leaders and innovators. Another grant that is actively growing the Immersion Studio is called ALIAS- Alkek Laboratory for Immersive Arts and Sciences.
There are exciting things happening in the Immersion Studio. For information on the competitions happening, stop by the Immersion Studio or contact Emerging Technology Supervisor Khoi H. Nguyen, Ph.D.
AnaBelle Elliott is a student worker for IT Marketing and Communications.
