Virtual Reality Magazine by Edovation

REALITY

VIRTUAL FALL 2015

Augmented Reality Does your avatar have an Oculus Rift?

Replacing The Old Fashion Blue and White, Meet The New

Silicon Collar Jobs

VIRTUAL REALITY + AUGMENTED REALITY + MINECRAFT + ROBOTS + second Life+ HIfi

Virtual Reality

16 VIRTUAL EDUCATION JOURNAL The Journal for Real World Educators

22 WHAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE... is Happening Today GOOGLE CARDBOARD

A Storytelling Tool

A GALLERY OF VIDEOS In This Issue

Virtual Reality

Content

10 11

GROUNDED in My Own History Meet The New Category— SILICON COLLAR JOBS WELCOME to Virtual Reality Ways to The FUTURE

32 9K AUTONOMOUS UBER CARS Would Leave Zero axis in Manhattan

MICROSOFT HOLOLENS Augmented Reality

SECOND LIFE (SL) Virtual Environment 13 Realistic Characters OF SECOND LIFE 14 The Amazing SIMULATIONS 17 VWBPE Virtual World’s Best Practices in Education 18 MINECRAFT Digital Building Blocks 20 HIGH FIDELITY Philip Rosedale’s New Company 24 OCULUS RIFT Is Now A Retail Product 26 ROBOTS Make the Best Burgers 28 WHAT IF YOUR POOR WRITING SKILLS Were Replaced By An Algorithm 30 TESLA’S Progress Toward Autonomous Driving 33 BILLION DOLLAR Charlie 34 GOOGLE CARDBOARD Expeditions 40 AUGMENTED Reality

In CONCLUSION

Virtual Reality

This special edition of an Edovation publication will give you pause. Industry is on a trajectory that education has yet to acknowledge.

A note from the editor

Dr. Robert Vojtek

This special edition is intended to give our readers an overview of some new and existing technologies that should be considered in school. Some of the technologies highlighted in What we really need to be aware of is that

using augmented reality applications to

this special issue, such as Second Life and businesses and industries are advancing

sell products in new and exciting ways.

other virtual environments, are intended with robots and algorithms at an alarming for adults to utilize in professional con- rate. Education is being forced to concen-

Even if you are not interested in virtual

versations, professional development, trate on ways to show gains in test scores.

or augmented reality the article on sili-

simulations, and networking. Others like Meanwhile amazing things are happen-

con collar jobs is a must read! Robots and

Minecraft are intended for elementary ing in the tech world and we have little

software solutions are showing up in

and middle school children. But many of time to consider their implications.

places you might not even suspect. White

the articles are intended simply to make

collar and blue-collar jobs will end with

everyone think about the future that is In this special issue you will discover

the onset of silicon collar jobs. Robots

knocking at our door.

virtual environments, virtual reality, and

will take over jobs that were previously

augmented reality. More students than

considered beyond the capacity of ro-

While we quibble about the best high you probably realize are using Minecraft

bots and software algorithms. Less than

stakes test for children, the knowledge at home. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it time to see how Minecraft

a decade ago driving a car was used as

and skills necessary for them to obtain or can be used in schools to engage stu-

an example of tasks too complex for com-

retain a job during their lifetime are radi- dents and teach math, science, and his-

puters and algorithms to understand. No

cally changing. About the only thing the tory?

more.

experts can agree upon is that their predictions chronically underestimate the Augmented reality is changing the way speed of technological transformation.

we visualize our world. Companies are

Regards,

Virtual Reality

About Our Virtual Environments There are three environments that will be discussed in this issue that relate to education as we redefines 21st century skills now that we near the 16th anniversary of Y2K.

SECOND LIFE

MINECRAFT EDU

High Fidelity

Original Virtual Environment

Kids Virtual Environment

New Possibilities

The original Virtual Environment that is over a decade old

Kids are nearly addicted to Minecraft

The originator starts a new company and strives for a more realistic experience

Who is coming afterYOUR job?

Robots and software solutions are becoming so sophisticated that jobs previously thought untouchable by robots or an algorithm are in danger of extinction.

Virtual Reality

Grounded In My Own History As I look back at the events that have created my enthusiasm for leveraging the tools of technology in teaching and learning, I think of three that have been most significant. In the 1980s I had the opportunity to work

he looked real.

MY LUNCH PARTNER

for Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Studios as a consultant. My office

The time I spent there was amazing. I have

was above a loading dock where, at Walt

always been a Disney fan. As a matter of

Disney Imagineering animatrons were

fact I was traveling home with my family

loaded in containers to be shipped back

from San Diego to Eureka, California when

to Disney parks around the world after be-

I was a young boy and we stopped in Ana-

ing repaired. Animatrons are the automat-

heim. It was the first day that Disneyland

ed robots that are used in rides such as

was open to the public.

My First Influence -- photo from Disney Parks Blog

Pirates of the Caribbean and the Lincoln exhibit, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I

So, where am I going with this? While

would routinely walk downstairs and see

working at Disney I felt so alive and en-

R2D2 or a pirate “hanging out” waiting to

ergized it was amazing. In contrast, there

be boxed up and shipped back to a Dis-

was a contract worker in my department

ney park. It was such a magical place to

who just didn’t understand all of the fuss.

work!

I spoke to my supervisor and he said that there are a few folks like that. Some that

In the commissary during my first week

have worked there for years. They refer

I was invited, as the “new guy,” to have

to it as having lost their “pixie dust.” That

lunch with several Disney employees and

comment has stuck with me to this day.

some other guy I had not met. They wait-

How powerful.

AUTODESK 1980S LOGO The second influence -- Autodesk

ed to see if I would introduce myself to this other fellow that I did not know. After a few

I see it in our schools. The little people in

moments when it seemed clear that I was

our elementary schools have oodles of

not going to be introduced, I stuck out my

pixie dust. Everything is a wonder. They

hand and introduced myself. After several

are amazed by the simplest of things.

awkward moments everyone started to

They are daring and willing to take learn-

laugh. The gentleman to my left didn’t re-

ing risks, try something new. But so often

spond. He wasn’t one of the guys… he was

by the time students reach high school

Abraham Lincoln, dressed in contempo-

they have often lost all of their pixie dust.

rary attire, a robot. With theater makeup,

Their comment is usually something like,

MAGIC CARPET AT DISNEY The third influence -- Disney Vacation Rentals photo

Virtual Reality

“Just tell me what I need to do to get an A.”

Without physics, you had to point up at the

dor. I pushed forward to increase speed

angle of a staircase to maneuver up the

toward the vendor’s wagon and pulled

The second influence occurred when I

stairs. I lost my orientation and went down

up on the leading edge to fly gracefully

was in charge of the Vocational Technical

into the basement, pointed to the side and

over the top of the wagon. Well not quite.

Division at College of the Redwoods, in

glided right through the wall and ended

I didn’t start my assent early enough and I

Eureka, California. I created an Authorized

up in the bottom of the outside swimming

felt this thud as I hit the top of the wagon.

AutoCAD Training Center at College of

pool.

There was a distinct tactile sensation as I

the Redwoods. The parent company Au-

scraped the top of the wagon continuing

todesk liked what I was doing and asked

Even with the course low resolution

on my way. Maneuvering back and forth

me to be part of a committee to inform

graphics, I was completely amazed at the

through streets and alleyways I find myself

them about effective ways to teach Auto-

possibilities.

back near where I began my journey and

CAD. We had quarterly meetings in Sau-

what do I see? The same street vendor

salito at their corporate headquarters. At

The Third event actually combines parts

blocking the upcoming intersection. What

one of these meetings the committee was

of the previous two. I was at Walt Disney

do I do? Just as before, I pull up on the

invited to explore 3D immersive Virtual

World and was approached by a Disney

leading edge to fly gracefully over the top

Reality as part of a potential new product.

Employee if I wanted to give them feed-

of the wagon. But what happens?

back about a potential new attraction, The contraption was a helmet with gog-

Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride, with 3D im-

Let’s just say I wouldn’t make a very good

gles that held two small computer dis-

mersive Virtual Reality. This was in the late

pilot… I hit the top edge of the wagon

plays, one for each eye. It also includes

1990s and VR had come a long way.

again, felt the thud feedback from hitting

a glove with sensors stitched into the

the cart, only this time as I fly away I hear

top layer of each finger. This was all con-

This new contraption, powered by a fleet

the vendor say, “stop hitting my cart.” So,

nected to a computer and a tall wire frame

of servers, allowed you to travel through

now I’m on the virtual “hit list” of this street

that was used to interpret where the gog-

the marketplace looking for gold coins.

vendor! The cool part is that the game was

gles and glove were in 3D space. You

This time the system included a helmet re-

sophisticated enough for me to feel the

began by orienting yourself by standing

sembling a motorcycle helmet on steroids

thud, and it was aware that it was not my

straight facing the wire frame and holding

with built-in monitors and headphones to

first time through the area... remembering

your gloved hand straight out from your

see and hear the environment. You would

me. Pretty amazing!

body with your palm facing down. Once

sit on a bicycle-like frame with a rectan-

oriented they started one of two demos.

gular plate where the handlebars would

These three events heavily influenced

One was a tennis demo where you hold a

have been. Moving one side up or down

my enthusiasm for 3D environments and

tennis racquet and hit a virtual tennis ball

would move you right or left. Moving the

virtual learning. Virtual Reality in terms of

across a net. It would bounce back and

leading edge up or down would allow you

headsets, goggles, and the other appara-

you attempted to hit it back again.

to fly up or come back down. Finally mov-

tus waned until very recently. Then, all of a

ing the plate forward moved you forward,

sudden the concept has taken off in ways I

The other demo was a walkthrough of a

neutral to stop, and straight back was re-

couldn’t even imagine. During those wan-

3D house. Forming your hand into a point-

verse.

ing years, virtual environments, like Sec-

ing finger you would move through the

ond Life and Minecraft flourished.

house in the direction you were pointing.

I remember maneuvering through the

To stop you would tilt your hand up flat.

streets when I came upon a street ven-

Virtual Reality

Meet The New Category— Silicon Collar Jobs If you haven’t been paying attention, robots, software, and algorithms, the “manufactured aliens,”are taking over jobs and tasks that we didn’t think were vulnerable. Robotics and software capabilities are

ple boxes were askew. They also have

believe using scripted lessons is an an-

encroaching into areas that most people

difficulty determining the difference be-

swer to closing the achievement gap may

would have guessed were “beyond the

tween several boxes side by side, and

find even their graduating students lack

reach of robots.” As the capability, capac-

one large box. This is about to change as

the ability to qualify for these new jobs.

ity, and processing speeds continue to

companies now report that their new ro-

This likelihood is not just for high school

increase, some believe that robots and

bots not only recognize these edges, but

graduates, but also for those that are

software will take over jobs that were

they can organize and move boxes faster

graduating from college. It is not simply

previously considered something only

than a human.

about graduating from a top school any

a human could do. If the predictions are

more; but rather, how prepared students

correct a significant number of jobs will

Since education is so focused on incre-

are for the kind of thinking required for

become extinct. This trend will signifi-

mental change, our current educational

these new technology jobs? Wired Maga-

cantly impact on K-12 and higher educa-

paradigm may implode when high school,

zine looked at LinkedIn data to see where

tion.

bachelor degree, and graduate school

west coast high-tech employees gradu-

graduates become unemployable.

ated. They wanted to see, “if non-Stan-

While we have been debating the best

ford grads have a chance at Silicon Val-

way to get teachers engaged and use

Just a few years ago the buzz was, “we

ley firms.” It turns out that San Jose State

technology in the classroom, a whole

need to educate students for the 21st

is a good bet just as is Stanford. In fact,

wave of technological advancements has

century,” meaning we need to teach for

“if you’re just looking at the sheer num-

occurred. It was cute to paraphrase the

jobs that do not yet exist. What if the re-

ber of alumni connections to Cupertino.

statement, “it took 20 years to get the

ality is that jobs we have been confident

UC-Berkeley, UT-Austin, and Cal Poly-San

overhead projector out of the bowling

would continue, become extinct? The

Luis Obispo also appear to be Apple fa-

alley and into the classroom.” The reality

skills required for these new jobs can’t

vorites. . . . As for the Ivy League, not one

is that robots, software, and algorithms

easily be assessed with high stakes tests.

of the ancient eight makes the list for any

in cloud computing are excelling at tasks

Students will need to contend with sig-

of the tech companies under considera-

that have previously been only the pre-

nificant ambiguity and the fact that there

tion.”

vue of humans. Tasks such, as moving

may be multiple solutions for a given

boxes, creating reports and driving cars

problem.

were always going to be the jobs of humans.

Microsoft unwittingly created a technological avalanche. They created a gam-

We are living in a world where every mul-

ing device called Kinect to use with their

tiple choice question on an assessment

gaming console, Xbox One, with the in-

Robots have difficulty determining the

puts a student one step closer to un-em-

tent of creating a quantum leap in game

edges of boxes, especially when multi-

ployability. Priority school districts that

navigation.

Virtual Reality

ROBOTS

MICROSOFT

Robots are not just in manufacturing any more. They can be found in some very surprising places.

The Microsoft Kinect add-on to Xbox was intended to move gaming forward, instead it set off a robot revolution.

AGRICULTURE In agriculture, for example, “robots can sow seeds in a farm, robots that can remove weeds, and robots are used for fertilizing crops. The Kinect system, “identifies individual

In agriculture, for example, “robots that

players through face recognition and

can sow seeds in a farm, robots that can

voice recognition. A depth camera, which

remove weeds, robots are used for fer-

‘sees’ in 3-D, creates a skeleton image of

tilizing crops and robots that can even

a player and a motion sensor detects their

pluck fruits from trees and accumulate

movements. Speech recognition software

these at one place — these were some of

allows the system to understand spoken

the finalist entries at the e-Yantra Robot-

commands and gesture recognition ena-

ics Competition 2013,” as reported in the

bles the tracking of player movements.”

Times of India.

The resulting technology, a mere $130

We are living in a world where every multiple choice question on an

add-on to an Xbox system, revolutionized

The blue and white collar jobs that will

robotics. Although it was not the intent,

become extinct create a new paradigm,

assessment puts a

Kinect created a cheap solution for ro-

the silicon collar jobs. The jobs of robots

student one step

bots to be able to “see,” catapulting ro-

and algorithms are the new silicon collar

botics technology forward.

workers.

closer to un-employability.

Virtual Reality

Welcome to Virtual Reality Virtual Reality has been around since the 1980s but not like you see it today. There are more than a dozen major players vying for the role of the default VR device.

University of Maryland, College Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Virtual and Augmented

Augmentarium leaders believe virtual reality and augmented reality have huge potential to improve the way doctors operate, the way police officers

Reality Laboratory officially named the Augmentarium is like many new university labs creating a space to support virtual and augmented reality functions. According to the Baltimore Business Journal, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Augmentarium leaders believe virtual reality (putting someone in a realistic or imaginary world) and augmented reality (embedding data in real life) have huge potential to improve the way doctors operate, the way police officers respond

respond to emergencies and

to emergencies and how soldiers navigate dangerous situations.

how soldiers navigate danger-

But while a glitch or a dead pixel may be a moment of frustra-

ous situations.

tion for a video gamer, a mistake like that could have big consequences in these real-life applications.

Virtual Reality

SAMSUNG GEAR VR Samsung Gear VR utilizes a smart phone and software to generate the immersive virtual reality.

Ways to The Future

OLD SCHOOL VR WAS BIG

University of Maryland, College Park’s Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory

In the early days of VR there were a number of false starts. The concepts were great but most couldn’t follow through on their promise. world. Using the arrow keys on the keyboard, the user rotates a “camera” view

Virtual Reality has been around for dec-

(which way are you looking); and the lo-

of the environment. This process allows

ades. The reason for a spike in enthusi-

cation and orientation of an input device.

users to traverse through the environ-

asm has much to do with faster, cheaper

This version of VR languished for decades

ment using arrow keys to move forward

processing

significant

as the vision was ahead of the technol-

backward or side-to-side. There are tools

gains in quality at a lower cost. The ba-

ogy. So, instead of VR that was immersive

to fly and teleport from one location to

sic elements of these products include

3D, new iterations of VR such as Second

another. The tools of Second Life allowed

a twin set of monitors, one for each eye,

Life flourished.

a freedom of movement that was acces-

which

creates

inserted into a goggle or helmet called a

sible to a vast number of people.

head mounted display (HMD); an input

Second Life was and is a virtual environ-

device such as a gaming controller, key-

ment that was a “window” into a world. In

New versions of the Second Life browser

board or other hand-held input device;

stead of turning your head to view a dif-

allows for immersive 3D with an Oculus

and a sensor system to determine the

ferent perspective, Second Life feels like

Rift so that the old and new VR are merg-

location and orientation of the headset

peering through a window into the virtual

ing as technology moves forward.

Virtual Reality

SecondLife (SL) Virtual Environment SL has been around since 2003. At its peak SL had a million regular users. Designed by its first CEO, Phillip Rosedale, it continues to be the most well known grid. Second Life (SL) turned 12 in June, 2015. While Linden Lab decided SL wasn’t a game, its users were primarily using it for social game activity like roleplaying, virtual fashion, collaborative sandbox building, and yes, virtual sex. Because there are places to teleport that you wouldn’t want students to be, Second Life is intended for ages 13 and up. Second Life has been around for so long, there are many places to visit that mimic their real world counterpart. 1929 Berlin is an example. This build goes so far as to have visitors utilize clothing of the period provided for free. There is also a sign board

person. That is after all what’s behind

to a real world conversation. According

to measure your height and proportion.

the keyboard of the avatar anyway. It is

to the study, the inclusion of a relevant,

Most Second Life residents are about 120

amusing that people have a tendency to

expressive gaze created a significant im-

percent larger than a typical male or fe-

be bolder and more confrontational in

provement in the perceived quality of

male in real life. If you are appropriately

email communications and chats where

the conversation. When comparing to

proportioned, your experience in 1929

there is no one to look in the eyes. Peo-

the participants’ sense of involvement,

Berlin will be that much more realistic.

ple say things they would never say face-

informed-gaze avatars barely had a sig-

to-face. Second Life interactions are more

nificant difference from communicating

Second Life gives people an opportunity

closely aligned with real world dialogue.

via video.

to interact in real time. Even if your de-

Even though you are merely looking at

fault vantage point is from behind and

an avatar there is a sense of being in a

Although Second Life is a virtual envi-

slightly above the head of your avatar,

common space. Research studies con-

ronment, it has its own currency the Lin-

there is a sense of being present. When

clude that having an appropriate perso-

den ($L). This has allowed Second Life to

interacting in small groups, people tend

na, dressing like you would for a meeting

evolve into an economy. People can buy

to be immersed in the moment and re-

in real life, and allowing you avatar ges-

or lease property. They can sell goods

act to other avatars as they would a real

tures and gaze creates an interaction akin

and services. Although you can maneu-

Virtual Reality

ver through Second Life for free, people

and switch among a multitude of charac-

tend to buy items including a new skin or

ters. If you are not a creator of content

real estate creating a truly personalized

there is a marketplace where you can

experience.

purchase an alternate “self.”

The avatars, which are representations of

Buying real estate, the cost is based upon

the people behind the keyboard, can take

size and how much “stuff” you can put

on any persona. It is not uncommon for

on the parcel. These elements are called

an individual to have a number of outfits

prims, from the building block primitives.

as well as body types. You are not limited

So, if you erect or purchase a house, for

to create your avatar as a reflection of

instance, the total number of prims that

your real life self. You can select an avatar

make up the house count against your

that is a different race or gender as well

allotment for the parcel. Any furnishings

as a completely different species.

also count. If you add tables, chairs, carpets, and cars you need to be aware of

So, on a whim you can change your body

the total capacity of prims on the parcel.

SL AVATARS

DROBAK VILLAGE

You can choose to be any type of character in Second Life, even an amalgam of old AV equipment.

There are many detailed builds in SL, some are based on real world spaces and some complete fantasy.

Realistic Characters of Second Life There are folks that are so detail oriented their avatars fall into the realm of the Uncanny Valley with hyper realistic detail. The concept of the uncanny valley start-

long as they are perceived as a character

Uncanney Valley: Adventures in Narrative.

ed with animated movies where charac-

we remain amazed, but when they cross

The creators of the movie Shrek realized

ters begin to appear more and more life-

the line, they miss. The Polar Express is a

this and changed Fiona to appear less

like. Their believability reaches a point

film where the characters fail. The char-

lifelike and, in the end, more appealing

where the one percent that is “not right”

acters were so close to human observers

as a character. In SL sophisticated photo

suddenly becomes glaring. They are no

only remembered their dead eyes, ac-

editing tools can be used to create very

longer almost perfect, they are unalive. As

cording to Lawrence Weschler in his book

realistic textures.

Virtual Reality

VIRTUAL ABILITY ISLAND The entry to the new orientation section of Virtual Ability Island where newcomers can get started.

HISTORICAL IMAGES A gallery of images from the Disability Rights Movement is on display at Virtual Ability Island.

The Amazing Simulations Simulations in Second Life provide participants with a wide variety of experiences that allow for teaching and learning as well as experiences not possible in real life. Second Life has available a variety of

employing virtual reality for training pur-

As amazing as some of the simulations

simulations. Some programs use virtual

poses.” Other programs use virtual reality

are, the story of Alice Krueger founder

reality to stage scenarios that would be

systems to create virtual patient labs or

and President of Virtual Ability, is a fa-

too costly, difficult, or dangerous to cre-

to mimic classroom discussions.

vorite.

example, in online nursing programs. The

When the United States changed the re-

The 2015 Virtual World’s Best Practices

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh uses

quirements for crossing the boarder from

in Education (VWBPE) Thinkerer Award

Second Life to simulate an online nurs-

Canada a Second Life simulation was

winner, Alice Krueger in real life (rl), Gen-

ing disaster drill. “It is a great example

used to train boarder guards.

tle Heron in Second Life (sl), epitomizes

ate in real life. Second Life is used, for

Virtual Reality

what is possible through simulation in

group has grown in size from about 150

Second Life. The excerpt below was read

individuals to nearly 1,000 members,

by Dirk McKeenan at the closing ceremo-

with an ever-stronger reputation within

ny on March 21, 2015 when the award

Second Life as the leading cross-disabili-

was presented to Alice.

ty community of support for people with real world disabilities. In 2009, Virtual

Some programs use virtual reality to stage scenarios that

To combat the isolation, which com-

Ability Island won the first Linden Prize

monly besets people with significant dis-

for providing “a series of courses and re-

abilities, she founded a 501(c)(3) with a

sources to help people with real-world

mission to bring people with disabilities

disabilities get acclimated and start using

into online virtual worlds by providing

Second Life” and for its ground-breaking

a supporting environment in which to

new resident orientation course on Vir-

thrive there.

tual Ability Island.

Gentle Heron first rezzed into Second Life

Since that time, Virtual Ability has col-

would be too costly,

when the Heron Sanctuary was estab-

laborated with researchers in disability

difficult, or danger-

lished in 2007. Virtual Ability, Inc. official-

studies and with projects to enhance the

ly adopted the new name in 2008 after

lives of people with disabilities. Virtual

having helped numerous people get “up

Ability Island has worked on such diverse

and running” in Second Life. The original

projects as: Virtual programs for military

ous to create in real life.

amputees with the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command; Participation in EmployAble, a Kessler Foundation grant project of the University of Hawaii’s Center on Disability Studies; and Virtual Health Adventures, led by Nova Southeastern University, College of Health Care Sciences. Alice Krueger truly epitomizes what is possible in Second Life and how one person can make a difference.

Membership includes people with physical and mental disabilities, paralysis, deafness, vision impairment, and chronic

WELCOME TO VIRTUAL ABILITY ISLAND

health conditions. However, it also includes non-disabled friends, relatives,

An orientation sign for newcomers to Virtual Ability

and caregivers of people with disabili-

Island. There are orientation signs at each module to

ties, including parents of both adult and

assist new guests to the island.

younger children with disabilities.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Education Journal The Journal for Real World Educators The Virtual Education Journal, affectionately referred to as VEJ has been publishing a free online journal since 2011

The Virtual Education Journal (VEJ), an

currently being touted, were formulated

The leaders of tomorrow are in our

online publication of Edovation and the

a decade before the turn of the century.

schools today. VEJ will continue to cover

International Society for Technology in

The 21st century is not turning out the

stories about current best practices, as

Education (ISTE), has been writing about

way it was perceived in the 1990s.

well as trends that may impact our future

virtual

environments

and

education

since 2011.

and the children in our schools today. VEJ provides educators with news about what is happening in virtual environ-

VEJ also recognizes an annual Edovator

The June 2015 issue was dedicated to

ments where students and teachers are

of the Year. An individual that epitomized

Minecraft, including a cover image by a

learning outside the box of the class-

the essence of the teacher that is for-

student working in Minecraft, from Ivy

room. VEJ also delves into the real world

ward-thinking in terms of the knowledge,

Drive Elementary School in Bristol, Con-

where today’s students will need to find

skills, and abilities that will serve our stu-

necticut.

jobs.

dents well... now and in the future.

Each issue has a theme and accepts sub-

The skills students will require in the near

VEJ celebrates the best of Second Life

missions from anyone that has informa-

future are not well aligned with teaching

with the Reader’s Choice Awards, honor-

tion that may be valuable to educators in

in most of today’s schools. VEJ is poised

ing a dozen categories of innovators in

today’s environment. The environment in

to broaden the perspective of educators

SL.

which we educate our students today has

as they begin to question whether the

been transformed by national, state, and

way we have been teaching and what is

We need to thank Edovation as the um-

local policy-makers. Unfortunately most

being taught will be relevant for students

brella entity for VEJ that has contunu-

of those individuals are not educators

that will be graduating in the future. As

ously supported this endeavor. Edova-

and create policy based upon their own

you look at the stories in this publica-

tion has supported VEJ since its inception

experience as a student.

tion, it is important to think about these

with an annual subscription to Issuu, the

stories and determine how we can create

online magazine site that is the reposi-

The issue, as this publication attempts to

the most successful students possible for

tory for all of the issues of the Virtual

point out, is that the 21st century skills

our future and theirs.

Education Journal.

Virtual Reality

VWBPE Virtual World’s Best Practices in Education Conference Virtual World’s Best Practices in Education has been providing conferences in SL since 2007 Last year we had a planning meeting for

Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Educa-

hands-on workshops, discussion panels,

the Virtual World’s Best Practices in Edu-

tion Conferences provide a meaningful

machinima presentations, and poster

cation (VWBPE) with participants from

way for presenters to share research and

exhibits. Being a formal academic is not

France, Japan, and Connecticut. Second

their experience about the rich learn-

required for participation. “Our commu-

Life uses Pacific Time. So, for a meeting

ing systems in virtual worlds and games.

nity includes those in the education field,

at 8:30 am Second Life Time, it would

This free online conference is produced

those that support educators through

be 11:30 am in Connecticut, 5:30 pm in

entirely by volunteers. Conference pro-

products and services, and those whose

France, and 1:30 am in Japan. The bad

ceedings are published as the Journal of

accomplishments, and creative works,

news is that someone is always up early

Virtual Studies by the Rockcliffe Univer-

have been inspired by curriculums in-

or late. The good news is that everyone is

sity Consortium.

volving digital media.”

in real time. This is the fifth year we have

The VWBPE website explains, Over 2,000

The 2016 VWBPE Conference will be held

been actively involved in VWBPE.

attendees representing 90 countries par-

from March 9th-12th 2016 in Second Life

ticipate in 150-200 online presentations

and other grids.

in the conversation and can collaborate

VWBPE is an annual conference that fo-

including theoretical research, applica-

cuses on education and virtual worlds.

tion of best practices, virtual world tours,

Virtual Reality

Minecraft Digital Building Blocks Breaking news: Microsoft has purchased MinecraftEDU, the education focused version of Minecraft that is used in schools. If you know a student in, say third grade

content areas. Teachers are drawn to the

is often far past their current ability level.

through middle school, one of the best

game because it has educational ben-

Children are struggling through these

icebreakers is to ask about Minecraft.

efits that encourage active, rather than

difficult reads and are persisting, in part,

While in a Sam’s Club some months ago, I

passive, playing and can teach coding to

because of their desire to be better at Mi-

was looking through the books that were

children.

necraft.

the 5th or 6th grade came meandering

Using these simple blocks kids (and

Clive Thompson analyzed reading lev-

through the section carrying an eight

adults) can build simple shapes or elabo-

inch tall stack of books. He stopped right

rate structures. There is more to the im-

in front of me and commented to him-

pressive engagement than creating elab-

self, “ooh there is another one, I didn’t

orate builds. Parents and teachers are

see that one.” And his stack of Minecraft

reporting that students are more deeply

books grew by one.

engaged in reading about Minecraft. The

available, when a little boy, probably in

interesting aspect is that these children Minecraft is a game that has potential as

are reading about how to become more

a learning tool in schools across many

proficient in Minecraft. The reading level

The June 2015 issue of the Virtual Education Journal was dedicated to Minecraft, including a cover image by a student working in Minecraft, from Ivy Drive Elementary School in Bristol, Connecticut.

VEJ COVER JUNE 2015 Virtual Education Journal cover art by an elementary school student in Minecraft

Virtual Reality

els of literature related to Minecraft and

The June 2015 issue of the Virtual Educa-

published in the June 2015 issue of The

found that most were at a grade 8 to 11

tion Journal was dedicated to Minecraft,

Virtual Education Journal.

reading level. When the literature was

including a cover image by a student

provided to students in grade 6 who were

working in Minecraft, from Ivy Drive El-

Noah explains, “Minecraft is changing

struggling with reading, they successfully

ementary School in Bristol, Connecticut.

learning forever. It is helping kids change

read the literature despite the difference

their attitude towards school. Some kids

in reading levels. Motivation was identi-

At Ivy Drive, every teacher has a space for

are really into this new game. They can

fied as the key factor in students read-

their class using MinecraftEDU, a special

help each other and make things togeth-

ing beyond their grade level. In addition,

education iteration of Minecraft. From

er, improving teamwork. This is some-

some students have taken to writing fan

these classroom spaces, each student

thing that is needed in schools. Minecraft

fiction and blogs about Minecraft that

has a plot within that classroom space.

has power. It can bring people together

further supports the increase in student

Depending upon the grade level these

to create something unique. An exam-

reading and writing levels.

elementary school students are respon-

ple of that is my friend, Nathan Berube,

sible for populating their space with ele-

and I play Minecraft on Xbox. We create

ments that leverage their math skills.

different worlds together. We have survival worlds and creative worlds that we

HOLOLENS MINECRAFT Microsoft purchased Minecraft and is creating a way to “build” in your livingroom.

Two students from Ivy Drive offered to

play on. We also play on pocket edition.

comment on their friendship and how

I have a custom superman skin and he

they “play” together in Minecraft. The

has a dragon skin. This is how we make

parents of Noah Constantine and Na-

Minecraft our own game. We each have

than Berube gave permission for them

different building styles and both prefer

to comment on Minecraft for an article

different things in Minecraft. But no matter what, we always can work together in a survival world to find resources or in a creative world making awesome buildings.”

Nathan’s take is, “Noah likes to build while I love adventuring through the worlds that I build. We both can play together and still take part in what we like most about Minecraft. Just Tuesday we built a huge castle with no entrances. You have climb the walls and go in through the roof. We built a big mansion together and a Hunger Games map with just the two of us. When playing with friends or alone there are many things you can do when on Minecraft”.

Virtual Reality

High Fidelity Philip Rosedale’s New Company After leaving Linden Labs Philip Rosedale wanted to make a better virtual environment that was more like a real world experience.

The virtual worlds of the future are going to look like Pandora from Avatar. And once we can build things in those worlds, I would assert that even people who are passionate about VR, here, have no idea what is coming. SMI EYE TRACKING High Fidelity Uses SMI HMD Eye Tracking to Create Life-like VR Avatars

user base. At Silicone Valley Virtual Re-

who are passionate about VR, here, have

ality (2014) Rosedale explained. “We

no idea what is coming,” he says. “We’re

could potentially go from 600,000 or so

going to be arguing over the price of real

servers to 600 million.” If you’re on one

estate in the forests of Pandora.”

world, you can see others in the sky and The founder of Second Life, Philip

travel between them, watching blocky

High Fidelity is also concerned about au-

Rosedale has started a new venture that

Minecraft-like environments resolve to

dio and video quality. Audio will give a

has a different vision. As its name might

detailed landscapes as you get closer. As

sense of place by being able to tell where

imply, High Fidelity, is part of a vision to

computers advance, so will the possibili-

a sound is coming from. Think surround

take VR to the next level. Where Second

ties. “The virtual worlds of the future are

sound or 3D sound. Video quality relates

Life functions on hundreds of thousands

going to look like Pandora from Avatar.

to resolution and latency. If you move

of Linden Lab machines, High Fidelity

And once we can build things in those

your head too quickly, the image has

worlds would be distributed across the

worlds, I would assert that even people

to catch up. The core of the experience

Virtual Reality

SIMPLE SCENE This is a simple scene from High Fidelity that gives a peak into the Metaverse life, and allowing you avatar gestures

nificant difference from communicating

is something else. It is the responsive-

and gaze creates an interaction akin to

via video.

ness. It is getting nuance and gestures

a real world conversation. According to

right. Using sophisticated motion capture

one study, the inclusion of a relevant,

Using a full-body harness, you could go a

techniques, you could mirror your head

expressive gaze created a significant

step further, moving your arms and torso

movement and facial expressions onto

improvement in the perceived quality

naturally to interact. All the while, you

an avatar. Research studies conclude that

of the conversation. When comparing to

could be in an immersive environment

having an appropriate persona, dress-

the participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sense of involvement,

that puts a Skype call to shame,â&#x20AC;? says. Ali

ing like you would for a meeting in real

informed-gaze avatars barely had a sig-

Robertson in a Verge blog post.

HIFI IMAGE Virtual environments provide a way for people to create fantastic worlds that can be made available for people to explore.

HIFI STORY Playing in High Fidelity with basic primitives that allow a builder to create these amazing places.

Virtual Reality

What you thought would happen in the future... is happening today

Virtual Reality

A 21-year-old college dropout built the virtual reality company that Facebook just bought for $2 billion. Now, Lucky Palmer is 23 and his VR headset has just been released as a consumer product... the Oculus Rift!

Virtual Reality

When Steve Jobs launched the iPhone 4, and with it the first Retina display, he described it as having a screen with so many pixels packed closely together that they were imperceptible to the human eye.

Oculus Rift Is Now A Retail Product Oculus Rift may be the most well known VR product but there are many companies vying for VR dominance.

The Kickstarter campaign for Oculus

a user experience of looking through a

at all when the phone was a foot from

VR set a goal of raising $250,000 and

screen door. The resolution and refresh

their eyes.

surpassed that by raising more than

rate were focused on developing content

$400,000 on the first day. The entire

and the lens/monitors would be handled

The Oculus Rift has two displays and

Kickstarter campaign raised $2.4 million.

separately. Apple refers to their displays

when you take even a high-resolution

This feat catapulted Oculus forward and

as retina. The idea being that the pixels

display, dividing it in half often means it

within two years Facebook bought the

are so close together that the brain no

has pixels that are detectable by the hu-

company for $2 billion. The social net-

longer sees individual pixels.

man eye. Some companies are now think-

work paid $400,000 in cash plus 23.1mil-

ing that having the display in front of the

lion Facebook shares for the company,

When Steve Jobs launched the iPhone 4,

eyes in a headset will be a short-lived so-

with a further $300,000,000 in incen-

and with it the first Retina display, he de-

lution. Magic Leap purports, based upon

tives if it hits certain milestones in the

scribed it as having a screen with so many

patent information, to beam content di-

future. This started a veritable arms race

pixels packed closely together that they

rectly into your eyes so that brain cannot

to become the first consumer virtual real-

were imperceptible to the human eye at

differentiate the digital from the real.

ity headset.

a distance of twelve inches. He went to great lengths to explain that, because the

For now, the Oculus rift allows users to

Like VR of the 1980s, early versions of

iPhone 4’s screen packed in 300 pixels

explore virtual spaces as though they

the Oculus Rift Developer’s Kit created

per inch, most people wouldn’t see them

were actually in that place.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality developers are primarily

an example to demonstrate surround

The utilization of VR in movies will cre-

looking at three uses in the short run in-

sound. As Fernby Films website explains,

ate a complex way to tell stories and view

cluding gaming, simulations, and movies.

“Draco’s wingbeats and deep voice throb

content. A virtual environment that is dig-

Movies have transitioned significantly

from every channel as he flies about the

ital will be very different from characters

since the early days without sound. Ini-

sky; it was the moment during which I

in a scene. When we watch a movie or tel-

tially movie cameras were stationary,

realized just how surround sound could

evision show, the director dictates what

but soon at the director’s discretion they

– and should – be used .” This newly add-

we see and when. You hear a sound and

panned from side to side. Once the move-

ed auditory layer can give an incredible

the scene zooms in on what makes the

ment of the cameras started, the ability

sense of space and is sometimes referred

sound. With VR the viewer may choose

of the movie to tell a story changed sig-

to as 3D audio hacking your brain.

to meander around the scene choosing

nificantly. Today we benefit from 3D mov-

what is important and what to concen-

ies where the viewer can see a depth of

With surround sound capabilities added

the image that was not possible with tra-

to an immersive visual experience it is

ditional 2D movies. Additionally, we now

no wonder that Oculus has created a new

have surround sound where the viewer

creative team called Oculus Story Studio.

can hear the direction of a sound making

The team is tasked with utilizing VR to

the experience much more engaging. The

create a film experience unlike any other:

1996 movie Dragonheart, featured Sean

one that completely immerses the viewer

Connery as the voice of Draco a dragon.

in the interactive films with its revolu-

Clips from this movie are still used as

tionary technology.

trate on.

OCULUS DEMOS The utilization of VR in movies will create a complex way to tell stories and view content.

Virtual Reality

Robots make the best burgers

Imagine the perfect burger grilled to your specifications with all the condiments and absolutely no human interaction. Oh, yes they can be made at 360 burgers per hour. Just as workers are making progress to-

associated management headaches.” Ro-

fications. Tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles?

ward obtaining a living wage, San Fran-

bots don’t take breaks, come in late, for-

All are sliced only immediately before it

cisco-based Momentum Machines un-

get to call in at all, and most importantly

places the slice onto your burger, giving

leashes a robotic device that can cook

don’t make workman’s comp claims.

you the “freshest burger possible.”

hamburger line cooks in a restaurant. The

The newly revised machine promises to

McDonalds is preparing to add kiosks to

company claims, “An average quick ser-

utilize three grinds of meat. You may re-

their restaurants after having deployed

vice restaurant spends $135K every year

quest one third bison and two thirds beef.

them off shore already. Chili’s Grill and

on labor for the production of hamburg-

It grills the meat to your liking before as-

Bar as well as Applebee’s are introduc-

ers. Not only does our machine eliminate

sembly. Then after the grilling process

ing kiosks and mobile ordering. The Wall

nearly all of that cost, it also obviates the

your burger is assembled to your speci-

Street Journal labels this as a “minimum

and build hamburgers, replacing all of the

Virtual Reality

SLICED AFTER GRILLING Momentum Machines device doesn’t slice your tomatoes and onions until after the burger is grilled ensuring the freshest ingredients.

You may choose among three grinds of meat. Would you like 60% pork and 40% bison? No problem, just select the ratio.

wage backfire.” Under the guise of im-

out paying more than 30% of income

proving the customer experience for Mc-

on housing — a household must earn

Donalds the move is also “a convenient

$4,210 monthly or $50,515 annually.

MCDONALDS KIOSK

way... to justify a reduction in the chain’s

This would require an earner to work 106

global workforce,” claims the Journal. It

hours per week at minimum wage to af-

continued, “The result of their agitation

ford the two-bedroom house. That’s 2.7

The question becomes, is this for the benefit of the diner or a way to avoid paying workers?

will be more jobs for machines and fewer

full time jobs.

for the least skilled workers,” it claims. The elimination of jobs because of auThe National Low Income Housing Coa-

tomation is a trajectory we are already

lition calculates in Connecticut, the Fair

on. The Gartner Group claims software

Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom

and robots will replace one third of all

apartment is $1,263. In order to afford

workers by 2025, and that includes many

this level of rent and utilities — with-

high-skilled jobs.

Virtual Reality

What if Your Poor Writing Skills Were Replaced by an Algorithm? Robo writing may not be the newest discipline where algorithms are taking over jobs, but it might be an area where you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice it happen.

CHART OF PERCEPTION ABOUT STORIES WRITTEN BY SOFTWARE Can people tell the difference between a story written by a journalist or a software algorithm?

Virtual Reality

The previous examples may seem ancillary to the issue of job loss. If a robot makes your burger or a driverless car transports you to the airport, you still have your job. They were blue collar or service jobs. This example may hit closer to home. Shall we call it a new wave of silicon

col-

lar jobs? Jobs

that are being eliminated while you were

out credible accounts of college baseball

es natural language generation software

sleeping.

games.”

to produce content which meets your communication goals, business rules and

Teaching students to write well has been

Automated Insights, a competitor to

over arching stylistic preferences, such as

central to our educational system. Not

Narrative Sciences, was used in a test

tone, style and formatting.” Finally, Quill

every student will become a professional

between a software generated game re-

automatically applies natural language

writer or journalist. But what if you could

cap and one written by a journalist. In

to the most relevant information and as-

subscribe to a company that would take

Christer Clerwall’s paper, Enter the Robot

sembles a narrative that is indistinguish-

all of your raw business data and convert

Journalist, he found, “the text written by

able from a human-written one. In 2011,

it into a clean, well-written narrative for,

a journalist is assessed as being more

Kristian Hammond, the co-founder of

say, your end of the year report? Narra-

coherent, well written, clear, less boring,

Narrative Science, was chided into mak-

tive Sciences claims to do just that.

and more pleasant to read. On the other

ing a prediction about the number of

hand, the text generated by software is

news articles that would, in fifteen years

The Chicago-based company began as

perceived as more descriptive, more in-

be written by an algorithm. Hammond

a class project. Kristian Hammond and

formative, more boring, but also more

responded that it would be over 90 per-

Larry Birnbaum taught a class at North-

accurate, trustworthy, and objective. The

cent.

western’s Medill School of Journalism,

result was essentially a tie when all fac-

Media, and Integrated Marketing Commu-

tors were evaluated.

nications. The students taking the course were a combination of programmers and

Narrative Sciences, in addition to creating

journalism students. One team of stu-

news stories from vast amounts of data

dents created prototype software, Stats

has a product targeting business com-

cles will be written

Monkey. According to Wired Magazine

munications. Quill is the name of their

the software was, “designed to collect

business-centric solution. The Narrative

by algorithm in 15

box scores and play-by-play data to spit

Sciences website explains, “Quill leverag-

90% of news arti-

years.

Virtual Reality

Elon Musk stated that in two years Tesla would have the technology ready for fully automated level 4 selfdriving cars capable of driving without human interaction.

TESLA’S Progress Toward Autonomous Driving Elon Musk is well on his way toward autonomous driving with a recent software upgrade to 2015 and newer Teslas. Look ma no hands.

This means Tesla has near autonomous

Tesla has a software update that can be

time. The latest software update, 7.0 al-

Autosteer (Beta), Auto Lane Change, Au-

downloaded to existing Tesla Model S

lows Model S to use its unique combina-

tomatic Emergency Steering and Side

automobiles that provide several auton-

tion of cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors

Collision Warning, and Autopark. Autos-

omous-like features. Autopilot provides

and data to automatically steer down the

teer, “keeps the car in the current lane

the driver, or owner, since some features

highway, change lanes, and adjust speed

and engages Traffic-Aware Cruise Control

do not require anyone to be inside the

in response to traffic. Once you’ve arrived

to maintain the car’s speed. Using a vari-

vehicle, with several automated capa-

at your destination, Model S scans for a

ety of measures including steering angle,

bilities. The website states, “Model S is

parking space and parallel parks on your

steering rate and speed to determine the

designed to keep getting better over

command.”

appropriate operation AutoSteer assists

mode driving. Tesla recommends a driver be in the car and ready to take the wheel at any time. The new features include

Virtual Reality

the driver on the road, making the driving experience easier. Tesla requires drivers to remain engaged and aware when Autosteer is enabled. Drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel.”

When Autosteer is enabled, Auto Lane Change allows the driver to simply engage the turn signal and the car will change lanes when it senses that it is safe to do so. Automatic Emergency Steering and Side Collision Warning alerts the driver if something is detected too close

Tesla certainly isn’t the only car company

to the side of the vehicle.

that is working on autonomous driving

AUTOPILOT

vehicles. The Consumer Electronics Show

The Mercedes F 015 after having driven to the CES Autonomously.

Autopark, as the name implies, allows

(CES) 2015 had companies taking advan-

the car to parallel park without engage-

tage of the shows hype. Audi unveiled its

nology has not yet grasped how autono-

ment of the driver. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO

A7 driverless car in style, with the vehi-

mous driving will change our society,”

said, “the parking feature is a ‘baby step’

cle driving itself to Las Vegas all the way

Dieter Zetsche, head of Mercedes-Benz

toward his eventual goal: letting drivers

from San Francisco.

cars, said before his keynote address at the annual event in Las Vegas. “The car is

summon their self-driving, self-charging cars from anywhere using their phones.

Mercedes touted, The new Mercedes F

growing beyond its role as a mere means

I actually think, and I might be slightly

015 driving itself to CES. Dubbed the F

of transport, and will ultimately become

optimistic on this, within two years you’ll

015 Luxury in Motion, the sleek four-door

a mobile living space.”

be able to summon your car from across

automobile envisions how luxury self-

the country. This is the first little step in

driving cars might look and feel a short

Hold on to your hats and glasses, not the

that direction.” This is important because

15 years in the future.

steering wheel, “cause this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!” Make that

these updates are for Teslas that are already on the road.

“Anyone who focuses solely on the tech-

suburbia!

TESLA DISPLAY A sample layout of the way a Tesla owner can view navigation information.

Virtual Reality

Uber could replace every taxi cab in New York City – passengers would wait an average of 36 seconds for a ride that costs about $0.50 per mile.

9K Autonomous Uber Cars would leave zero taxis in Manhattan Columbia University conducted a study that suggested it would take a mere 9,000 autonomous cars and Uber could replace every taxi cab in New York City.

Not only is it well written there are links to the individual claims.

Google has been working on an autonoWhen people think of autonomous driv-

from one place to another. If you live in

mous driving car but it does not intend

ing cars they might have an image of

an urban area and travel less than 10,000

to manufacture the automobiles, rather

some Google car being tested on a back

miles a year, it is likely more economical

it intends to license the technology.

road in Nevada. As it turns out the ma-

to ride share than to own a car right now.

Both Google and Tesla believe that fully

jor car companies are all looking at au-

autonomous cars, what Musk describes

tonomous cars. The technology has the

There is an incredibly informative article

as, “true autonomous driving where you

capacity to completely disrupt not only

from CBS in San Francisco by guest con-

could literally get in the car, go to sleep

the automotive business, but how we go

tributor Zack Kanter, from January 2015.

and wake up at your destination” – will be

Virtual Reality

available to the public by 2020.

that suggested with a mere 9,000 auton-

mated level 4 self-driving cars. The U.S.

omous cars, “Uber could replace every

Department of Transportation’s National

Uber has a significant interest in au-

taxi cab in New York City – passengers

Highway Traffic Safety Administration

tonomous vehicles. Uber currently gets a

would wait an average of 36 seconds for

(NHTSA) defines Level 4 as Full Self-Driv-

mere 25 percent of the fare with 75 per-

a ride that costs about $0.50 per mile.”

ing Automation: “The vehicle is designed

cent going to the driver. Uber can regain

to perform all safety-critical driving func-

the advantage if they could eliminate the

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show

tions and monitor roadway conditions for

driver. Specifically, Travis Kalanick, Uber

in Las Vegas, General Motors CEO Mary

an entire trip. Such a design anticipates

CEO recently made the statement that

Barra said, “The auto industry will change

that the driver will provide destination or

Uber will eventually replace all of its driv-

more in the next 5-10 years than it has in

navigation input, but is not expected to

ers with self-driving cars.

the past 50.” During the same show, Elon

be available for control at any time dur-

Musk stated that in two years Tesla would

ing the trip. This includes both occupied

have the technology ready for fully auto-

and unoccupied vehicles.”

Columbia recently conducted a study

Billion Dollar Charlie Flamboyant Harvard Law professor, Charles Nesson even taught a class in Second Life. Professor Nesson was the lawyer that de-

This is the entity that held a course in

fended Daniel Ellsberg in the Pentagon

Second Life in 2006 in a build that recre-

Papers case. More famously, he was co-

ated Austin Hall, one of the iconic build-

counsel in the case against W. R. Grace

ings on the law school campus.

and Company. The case was made into a book and later a movie, A Civil Action. Nesson, nicknamed Billion-Dollar Charlie, founded the Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

If you are not familar with the center at Harvard University, it has been working for the public good in terms of protecting the freedom of the net. Founded at Harvard Law School, in 1998 by professors Jonathan Zittrain and Charlie Nesson, it is now a university-wide initiative.

AUSTIN HALL Austin Hall as it appears on campus and as it was in 2006 in the Second Life Build

Virtual Reality

Google Cardboard Expeditions Google is targeting education with something they call Expeditions, which are education oriented videos recorded in immersive 3D. Google Cardboard is the ultimate low-

Probably the best way to visualize the

around the globe, to schools allowing the

cost version of VR. It is literally a card-

Cardboard concept is that it is a 21st cen-

closest thing to a virtual field trip to oc-

board fold-up with cheap plastic lenses

tury version of the iconic View-Master. In

cur in the classroom. They bring Google

that encases a smartphone to view ste-

an amusing twist, Mattel has given View-

Cardboard, smart phones and a wireless

reoscopic images and video. It looks like

Master the first facelift in 30 years. Google

network into the school and lead stu-

a hand held mask similar to a snorkelling

and Mattel have partnered and updated

dents through an immersive adventure to

mask. A phone app splits the screen to

the iconic View-Master for the VR gen-

places students may never be able to go.

view content in 3D.

eration. The original View-Master was a small hand-held device that allowed you

The teaser for Expeditions states, “Imag-

to insert a disk with stereoscopic pho-

ine visiting the bottom of the sea or the

tographs to display an image in 3D. So

surface of Mars in an afternoon. With Ex-

it should not be a surprise that the new

peditions, teachers can take their classes

View-Master VR is a $29.95 device made

on immersive virtual journeys to bring

of plastic and cradles a smartphone and

their lessons to life… Expeditions is a

works the same way as Cardboard.

virtual reality platform built for the classroom. We worked with teachers and con-

The fold-up templates are available on-

tent partners from around the world to

line so that anyone could theoretically

create more than 100 engaging journeys

create their own Google Cardboard by

- making it easy to immerse students in

exactly reproducing the template speci-

entirely new experiences.”

fications. This free availability to print the template on cardboard sheets has given

The availability of Cardboard centric con-

rise to organizations printing their own

tent and the affordability of the Card-

branded versions of Cardboard. The easi-

board device still leave one element to

est way to get Cardboard is to order a kit

Google is targeting education with some-

grapple with… access to the smartphones

from Amazon or one of several manufac-

thing they call Expeditions, which are

to drive them. Google suggests that when

tures. Google makes the template avail-

education oriented videos recorded in

families in your community consider

able on their website so if you are so in-

immersive 3D. This is a pilot project that

trading their old smartphone in to buy a

clined you can print the template and cut

is taking self-contained adventures, in

new one, they instead donate the phone

the cardboard yourself.

the form of short videos of famous places

to the school. The phone does not need a

Virtual Reality

cellular account or use cellular data; rather it just needs to take advantage of the WiFi to view the content in Cardboard.

If schools can obtain the smartphones and use Cardboard in the classroom, we have the possibility of a fundamental leveling of the educational playing field where students that would never have the opportunity to travel could be immersed in virtual travel and have experiences that could closely replicate “being there.” I remember my first teaching assignment in inner city Los Angeles… I took students in my scale model club to my beach apartment in Hermosa Beach on the Strand. Three of the dozen junior high students in this group had never

CARDBOARD VIEWER

CARDBOARD CAMERA

All you need to add is a smartphone and this folded cardboard cutout becomes a VR viewer.

There is now an app that helps create panoramas with your phone to view through your Google Cardboard.

been to the beach, had never seen the ocean. Imagine the possibilities if they could walk through the streets of Paris with the help of an inexpensive device.

We worked with teachers and content partners from around the world to create more than 100 engaging journeys.

Virtual Reality

NEW YORK TIMES If you subscribe to the print edition of the New York Times, you will receive this Google Cardboard.

ABC NEWS VR A snapshot from the ABC News website advertising the potential of Virtual Reality storytelling.

Google Cardboard A Storytelling Tool ABC News VR , New York Times, and a gaggle of other companies have embraced Cardboard as a way to get their message out as an immersive storytelling tool Google Cardboard is catching on rather

tive students a virtual tour of the univer-

viewable through a VR headset. Google

quickly and gaining traction with support

sity. Next year (2016) they are planning

has been creating its own content to be

from such heavy hitters as ABC News,

to mail out Cardboard headsets with

used in Google Cardboard and is pro-

New York Times, and Verizon. Even the

assembly instructions and a link to the

viding the specification and software

Space Needle in Seattle sees Cardboard

location of the files to view. This allows

through Jump. Jump is a platform that

as a way to jettison its 1960s persona

anyone with a smartphone to view the

uses 16 specifically oriented GoPro Cam-

and encourage people to have a Space

virtual tour on a Yale branded viewer.

eras to capture these immersive scenes

Needle VR experience.

and the software stitches the content Google owned YouTube announced that

together into a visual surround experi-

Yale University used a dozen Oculus Rift

it would support VR video. Additionally it

ence. As the technology matures, the cost

headsets on campus to provide prospec-

will make every one of its existing video

of creating engaging immersive content

Virtual Reality

NEW YORK TIMES

ABC NEWS VR

The New York Times has made a commitment to create 100 VR stories using New York Times branded viewers.

ABC News VR intends to bring virtual reality storytelling to the news division and beyond.

immersive story, is a 360 degree virtual

in collaboration with Google, which will

reality experience that transports view-

include the distribution of more than

ers to the streets of Damascus. The site

a million cardboard VR viewers, one for

is www.abcnews.com/vr and explains

every print subscriber. The New York

the process to download the application

Times has made a commitment to cre-

and view the inaugural story. ABC News

ate 100 VR stories using New York Times

VR intends to bring virtual reality story-

branded viewers. Its inaugural venture is

telling to the news division and beyond.

a VR story called “The Displaced,” about

“Our inaugural project is a special one, an

children uprooted by war. Dean Baquet,

immersive experience captured while in

the executive editor of The Times, said

Syria,” announced ABC News President

the magazine had “created the first criti-

James Goldston, “from the Damascus Cit-

cal, serious piece of journalism using

adel and Souk to the Umayyad Mosque

virtual reality, to shed light on one of

may soon become affordable. Currently

and the National Museum, Alex [Mar-

the most dire humanitarian crises of our

Jump is one of the most cost effective

quardt] transports viewers into the story,

lifetime.” Jake Silverstein, the magazine’s

solutions on the market. Or you could go

providing a depth of reporting — and a

editor, explained, “The power of VR is that

with a Nokia OZO Virtual Reality camera

personal guide — unlike anything we’ve

it gives the viewer a unique sense of em-

for $60,000.

done before”.

pathic connection to people and events.” It has huge potential, he said, to help

ABC News is creating VR news stories

So as not to be outdone, The New York

bring subscribers news and stories from

that utilize Google Cardboard. Their first

Times announced a virtual reality project

the most inaccessible places.

Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) an exploding technology, is gaining converts quickly with its ability to superimpose content over a real environment. Microsoft has added an entirely new application category, Microsoft Holographic, to the Windows 10 operating system. It superimposes holograms onto the real world environment.

and industry. Microsoft launched

Microsoft HoloLens Augmented Reality

Windows 10 on July 29, 2015 and

Lens maps the environment to know

These images are opaque and super-

one of the applications that is creat-

where walls (vertical surfaces) and

imposed in front of or on top of the

ing significant fanfare, is Holodeck.

tables (horizontal surfaces) are locat-

mapped version of the real world. So,

It will require HoloLens, a headset

ed. This invisible map allows the user

in the case of one demo, a designer

computer and become available to

to “attach” items to walls and tables.

is creating a new gas tank and fairing

Augmented Reality is creating solutions that have significant potential for education as well as business

for a motorcycle. The design appears

developers early in 2016. It will have an estimated cost $3,000 and should

Microsoft is not trying to transport

on top of the real-world motorcycle

ship in the first quarter of 2016. The

you to a different world, “but rather

frame such that the eye can’t tell the

HoloLens was a hit at the launch and

bring the wonders of a computer

difference between the real motorcy-

like Kinect technology for the Micro-

directly to the one you’re living in.

cle and the holographic design ele-

soft’s Xbox gaming console, has the

Microsoft is overlaying images and

ments. The view through the Holo-

potential to be a disruptive tech-

objects onto our living rooms. As a

Lens allows the designer to perceive

nology. HoloLens, is a sleek, flashy

HoloLens wearer, you’ll still see the

that they are building directly on the

headset with transparent lenses. The

real world in front of you. You can

real world motorcycle frame.

transparent lens allows users to still

walk around and talk to others with-

see the world around, but suddenly

out worrying about bumping into

Microsoft has partnered with several

that world is transformed — with 3D

walls. The goggles will track your

major corporations to utilize 3D de-

objects floating in mid-air, virtual

movements, watch your gaze and

sign tools to natively create architec-

screens on the wall and your living

transform what you see by blasting

tural, mechanical, medical, and enter-

room covered in virtual characters

light at your eyes (it doesn’t hurt).

tainment models. Microsoft believes

running amok. Unlike VR, where the

Because the device tracks where you

that superimposing digital data on

user is encased in an enclosed envi-

are, you can use hand gestures —