A taste of virtual reality

Posted on: Mar 31, 2020

Back before “distance learning” became a way of life for Delano students and teachers, fourth-graders at Delano Intermediate School had the opportunity to experience virtual reality as part of their reading unit focused on technology and robotics.

Jackson Groskreutz, technical manager of the Delano Performing Arts Center and a 2018 graduate of Delano High School, visited the DIS flex lab to put on a number of presentations that highlighted some practical uses of technology. Four simulators that allowed students to enter alternate worlds for themselves were a highlight of his appearances, and demonstrated the value of virtual reality for fun, fitness and education.

“A lot of virtual reality is gaming, but it is now being used in the business and medical fields more often,” Groskreutz told the students of Josh Hiltner and Andy Brown during a presentation on Friday, March 6. 

Before starting the virtual reality demonstrations, Groskreutz passed his Ronin-S camera stabilizer around the room and explained how it allowed for smooth motion in the production of videos. He also passed around the drone owned by Delano High School and explained how, several years before, he had used it to take aerial footage during construction of the same intermediate school students were now learning in.

“Every day the number of things that drones can be used for increases,” Groskreutz said, adding that jobs like bridge inspections and crop inspections have been simplified by the availability of drones.

Hiltner confirmed that statement, explaining how a pair of friends have created a successful business monitoring crops. One has a drone pilot license, and the other analyzes the images captured by the drone to create reports for farmers. 

Virtual reality simulators
Following Groskreutz’s presentation, students had the opportunity to don virtual reality headsets, pick up hand controllers, and experience a few simulations for themselves.

At one station, they were able to visit the apartment used by Anne Frank and her family as they hid from the Nazis during World War II.

“You can tour through the house to see what her living conditions were,” Groskreutz explained to the students.

Dawson Wuollet was one of the students who had the opportunity to view the historical site.

“You can go through different hallways and rooms,” he said. “It seemed real. Everything was old-fashioned.”

A second station was “Beat Saber,” which combines the popular Dance Dance Revolution with oncoming obstacles that must be knocked away with lightsabers. While the Anne Frank station highlighted the educational potential of virtual reality, Beat Saber showed how it can be used to promote fitness. 

The two remaining stations provided a fun rock climbing experience so real that some students in earlier presentations had actually lost their balance and fallen.

“Ladies and gents, you know what’s not virtual reality? Falling on the floor,” said Brown by way of warning. “That is reality. Reality hurts sometimes.”

Emma Ulferts was one of the students who tried climbing up a sheer rock face while classmates watched her progress on a projector screen that showed what she was seeing inside the headset. Brown and Hiltner stood by as spotters to make sure students stayed on their feet.

“It feels like you’re going to fall,” Ulferts said afterward, noting that the stunning detail in the simulation even included little bugs crawling around the rock face. “It feels like you’re there. If you look down, that doesn’t feel too good.”

Andrew Narlock was another climber who took a few moments to get his bearings once he put on the headset.

“It was scary,” he said with a laugh after his turn had ended. “It felt real. When you look around it feels like you’re going to fall to the ground. I almost fell over for real once.” 

Narlock added that it took some getting used to before he was able to move around without difficulty, but his first encounter with virtual reality was eye-opening.

“It was really cool. I would definitely want to do it again,” he said.

Hiltner said the experience was a perfect way to finish off the technology reading unit, which included information about new innovations like self-driving cars.

“This activity connects really well, and it’s pretty cool,” he said. “These are some pretty impressive pieces of equipment.”
 

Post Categories: Intermediate School