Unreal Engine 4 developer Epic
Games has awarded a $25,000 grant to a University of Central Florida assistant
professor who has created a VR field trip guide. An information scientist and
artist created The Virtual UCF Arboretum, a VR recreation of the university’s
247 acres of unspoiled Florida habitat. The experience, available for download
from and use on any game or VR-ready PC, allows users to hike through the
university’s real arboretum, which has been recreated from field observations,
photos, measurements, drone footage and historical geographic information
system (GIS) data.
Users can also access a virtual
field guide that provides more detailed information about any object in the
virtual model. As users traverse a landscape that ranges from swamps to scrubby
flatwoods, they can get a close-up view of any plant they see, and can listen
to the sounds of the creatures that inhabit the arboretum. Epic Games awarded
the $25,000 through its MegaGrants programme. The money will allow researchers
to explore new techniques to improve the VR experience and to potentially
broaden the collection.
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