There is a lot to look forward to with the upcoming fall semester, one of them being the new technology waiting for students at Alkek Library. The first floor of Alkek Library has been transformed into Alkek One, a hub of technology-focused spaces featuring a variety of technology that supports the maker culture, immersive reality, time-based media, digital design, and more. See a sneak peek below, and let’s breakdown some of the new spaces that will be available to use.
Opening Soon! Alkek One will be located on the first floor and feature a variety of technology to support the maker culture, immersive reality, time-based media, GIS, and digital design. Stay tuned for more sneak peeks as we continue to “unbox” Alkek One! #alkekone #alkeklibrary pic.twitter.com/CefTpY3vYV
— Alkek Library (@alkeklibrary) May 4, 2020
Design Space
The Design Space is where you can work on editing and production workstations with software dedicated to all things design: 2D graphic design, 3D modeling, animation, game, and simulation design. Create vector graphics that you can then feed into the laser cutter in the MakerSpace or create textures for 3D models that can be used in the Immersion Studio.
GeoSpace
Use Geospatial technologies (such as GIS, Remote Sensing, and GPS) to gain multi-dimensional insights from your data by capturing, managing, visualizing, and exploring relationships among the measurable properties of our planet to promote understanding.
Immersion Studio
With ever-changing technology, there are always new ways of seeing, hearing, and sensing media. In the Immersion Studio, explore the worlds of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), cinematic reality (CR), and 360 videos, and to make room for the next “reality.”
MakerSpace
Bring your ideas to life in the MakerSpace. There is an array of tools geared towards creativity and innovation, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and Raspberry Pi boards. These tools can also be used to bring to life projects created in other Alkek One spaces like mentioned earlier. For example, you can create a 3D model in the design space, view it in holographic form in the Immersion Studio, then print it using the 3D printers in the MakerSpace! The possibilities are truly endless.
Sneak peek of the Voltera PCB Printer coming to Alkek One– print your own circuit boards! Stay tuned for more equipment highlights as we Unbox Alkek One. And don't forget: we're hiring student workers! https://t.co/ZhRG2czvPa pic.twitter.com/vPd1ZhM57h
— Alkek Library (@alkeklibrary) May 19, 2020
YouStar Studios
The original YouStar Studio isn’t new to the first floor of Alkek, but it is expanding to include a second, larger, studio and a suite of multimedia technologies to create video and audio content for use in other Alkek One spaces, class projects, presentations, performances, or any other special project. Spaces include two one-button video recording studios, two audio recording studios, and a production studio. The studios are reservable on a first-come, first-served basis.
We can’t wait to see all of the new innovations that will come out of Alkek One. Make sure to follow Alkek Library on Twitter for more frequent updates.
Check out a tour below that Maker Space Coordinator Noah Brock gave this past spring to get another behind-the-scenes look.
Chantal Lesley is a marketing and communications specialist student employee in the IT Marketing and Communications office.
