Studio X is excited to share the launch of the XR Pathways Across Borders project in partnership with Kirkland Lake District Composite School (KLDCS) in northern Ontario. The region’s first dedicated VR lab is now open inside the school’s Greenhouse makerspace.

Barry Silverstein ’84 believes that in the not-too-distant future, the main way people interact with computers on a daily basis will be through augmented reality. After serving as the senior director of optics and display research at Meta Reality Labs Research since 2017, the University of Rochester optics alumnus says academia has a critical role to play in guiding that future and that there is no better university to lead it than his alma mater.

Researchers at the University of Rochester have designed and demonstrated a new optical component that could significantly enhance the brightness and image quality of augmented reality (AR) glasses. The advance brings AR glasses a step closer to becoming as commonplace and useful as today’s smartphones.

I stood completely frozen at the edge of what seemed like a digital precipice, my hands were  starting to get clammy, and I felt myself getting increasingly disoriented as I stared down at an approximate 50-story drop from a narrow wooden plank. Every rational part of my brain reminded me that I was safe, standing on solid ground in a secure environment, and that this illusion was being caused by the VR headset. Despite this, the more I stared down, the more my body betrayed my knowledge: sweaty palms, quickened breath, and the overwhelming reluctance to step forward clouded my mind.

You're in the place you’ve always dreamed of, and you take a step forward – but suddenly the world glitches. You’re stuck. You try to walk, but nothing happens – you can't move. As you start to panic, reality hits you – this isn't real. All you have to do is press a button and exit. Every danger, risk, and sensation is under your control; a world you completely manipulate. David Chalmers argues that VR is as real as the Physical Reality. He believes that what happens in VR can be meaningful because of your experiences, from what you see, hear, and feel.

In 2022, I had the opportunity to get a kit from Sense Arena, a company specializing in VR training for hockey and tennis athletes. Their interface for hockey goaltending is fascinating, combining statistical analysis with real world videos of athletes (ranging from 14 year olds to NHL players) and movement meant to mimic on-ice reaction time. The user is meant to strap 3D-printed holders onto their glove and blocker, insert the Meta Quest 2 controllers into them (or use the controllers alone), and simulate making saves with their hands.

It’s an intriguing experience.