HCTC faculty and staff test out virtual reality

Earlier in May, Dr. Juli Gatling Book from the Office of Teaching and Learning visited the Hazard campus and brought along virtual reality (VR) headsets. The VR headsets were purchased as part of a VR accessibility workshop creation grant, with the expected delivery of those workshops this coming academic year.

One of the VR programs that participants could choose from was a Plumbing Safety module. You log into the program in a small kitchen area, with disembodied hands in front of you and a menu on your left wrist that explains actions you should be taking. The first step is to use a tester to see if there is electricity in the plumbing lines.

Like many people who are asked to do that in a VR setting, a few faculty and staff decided to find out what happened if you simply grab the plumbing.

Spoiler: You hear sirens, and you get to start over. That is the power of VR and simulated environments. You can find out those sorts of things without having to pay the associated medical bills.

Be on the lookout for eXtended Reality resources and training this coming academic year!