Becoming a Scientist: A VR Simulation Making Research More Accessible

Overview

With a national teaching shortage restricting students’ passions and expensive research equipment limiting science curriculums, it is vital that accessible alternative forms of laboratory educational experiences are made available to students. I have created a research VR simulation to provide an alternative learning experience that in its final form, students can choose microbiology, biochemistry, or molecular biology labs to perform. Through the diverse amount of labs offered in the simulation, students can perform realistic lab procedures while cleaning their lab station in the process. When creating the project, with pinpoint detail, I painstakingly crafted virtual lab materials that closely replicated real-life equipment. Next, I built mountains of code connecting the player's real-life movements to the virtual lab. Each arm, each hand, and each finger required seemingly endless functions so that the player could perform realistic lab objectives. After presenting my project in a school contest, I won first place and an investor in the community wanted to fund my project. I am currently working with Lablight AR, a company that builds software tools to connect with AR, to expand its outreach beyond my state. Yet, in my community, I am reaching out to schools and libraries to potentially implement it into their programs. Each conversation is another step closer to reaching my goal of using my VR program to help others in their educational pursuits.