AR and VR Ancient Art Pedagogies
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
THE NEW HYPER-REALITY OF WORK
Augmented and virtual realities promises to dramatically change how we work in the
future, but the technology is already having an impact in education and training
By Andrew Trounson, University of Melbourne
re you are reading this article on some sort of screen – a computer, a tablet, or a phone. But
future where there are no screens, no phone handsets or keyboards, and the only mouse is in the
en cupboards.
office of the future, where Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) change our
ves. AR overlays digital information on the real world, while VR creates an immersive, simulated
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 1 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
nt that replaces the real world.
earing smart glasses with a mix of augmented and virtual reality become routine for
Picture: Gettyimages
e workers wear Augmented Reality (AR) glasses to interact with a digital overlay of controls
onto any surface, allowing them to make calls, dictate emails, and operate software simply by
eir hands, arms, legs and even their eyes to command an action. Others wear Virtual Reality
sets to spatially collaborate on 3D tasks – collaborating with colleagues down the road or on the
of the world.
ING WITH SMART GLASSES
field, workers also wear AR glasses that give them instant access to technical information and
s as they work on a building site or liaise with customers. They also use VR headsets in their
us cars, working on designs and fixes with colleagues offsite.
ame will depend on how technology progresses and becomes faster and smaller, and headsets
hter to wear and easier to use,” says University of Melbourne communications and media
n consultant Ben Loveridge.
k given the way it is heading, we can imagine a work place where people will routinely wear
ses or perhaps even smart contact lens that can provide a mix of AR and VR.”
eridge talks to me, he is wearing a VR headset and waving his arms around in a painting
n the computer screen above, I see he is creating a three-dimensional sculpture in Tiltbrush,
hen walks around to get a better look at his handiwork. It isn’t hard to imagine that designers
eers could soon be routinely working together in 3D as they co-create and problem-solve using
y we might be able to easily and accurately track hands and people’s whole bodies without
he say. “Then there is the question of whether we can introduce a sense of touch into VR to
e a feeling of pushing against an object. That may mean wearing special gloves or a whole suit.
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 2 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
ventually be able to simply use eye tracking to govern controls and applications. These are all
people are working on.”
ar could we push virtual reality into other senses like touch? Picture: iStock
nally, businesses are already exploring how the technology can benefit the bottom line.
s Changi Airport is aiming to speed up cargo loading using AR. Ground handlers will use the
ead visual cues attached to different cargoes that then links instantly to loading instructions.
cher Dr Thuong Hoang, at the University of Melbourne’s Microsoft Research Centre for Social
ser Interfaces, says people are only now just starting to realise the huge potential of AR and VR
kplace.
nting training
most people in this area were focused on the technology behind AR and VR rather than what
with it, but that is gradually changing and now people are actively looking for opportunities to
ays Dr Hoang.
y gaming technology, Dr Hoang has used AR to enhance physiotherapy teaching by projecting
muscles and skeleton over a live model. It provides students with a clear, visual understanding of
workings of our bodies.
ification of training introduces a new element of excitement and motivation into learning that
wise be missing,” says Dr Hoang.
R is continuing to gain traction in the area of training and education.
notes that US fast-food giant KFC has created a tongue-in-cheek VR gaming experience to
new staff to the basics of cooking chicken.
a new job is already stressful enough, but if an employer can provide some training using VR or
a new employee starts I can see it making that first day at work a lot less stressful,” says Dr
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 3 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
field trips
of Melbourne classics scholar Dr Monique Webber is creating teaching videos, edited by the
Unit in the Faculty of Arts, that use VR to present ancient artworks as 3D objects. Dr Webber
walk around the object, annotating and highlighting important features to the students. These
ns teach students the analytical process they will use in the University’s Object-Based Learning
unimelb.edu.au/articulation/editions/2016-editions/december-2016/object-based-learning-a-new-mode-in-
y handle artefacts from the University of Melbourne’s own collection.
nded learning approach between VR and reality that trains students in the tasks they will use
niversity and in the field,” says Dr Webber, from the School of Historical and Philosophical
xperiencing the artworks in VR during the making of the videos has sometimes meant she has
whole new appreciation of a work.
these objects in the ‘flesh’ in Europe but by being able to actually get close to them in the VR, I
o see completely new relations between form, depth and composition,” says Dr Webber.
she says, will be when the technology becomes affordable enough to allow thousands of
easily access VR. “For the students, it would mean they could all have an experience that
they would only get by travelling to Rome.”
affordable access to high-quality VR may only be a few years away, according to Mr Loveridge.
ment, a VR headset that allows movement in three dimensions, with hand controllers costs at
0 – but smart-phone giants and other tech companies are already moving to make the market
petitive.For Dr Webber, this new reality is already revolutionising teaching.
nology is completely changing the field. Previously teachers developed teaching materials. Now,
nting for opportunities that enhance hands-on learning experiences through the medium of
age and video: Getty Images
First published on 9 October 2017 in Engineering & Technology
VIRTUAL REALIT Y
AUGMENTED REALIT Y
WORK
EMPLOYMENT
d academics
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 4 of 12
10/10/17, 11'32 am
THE NEW HYPER-REALITY OF WORK
Augmented and virtual realities promises to dramatically change how we work in the
future, but the technology is already having an impact in education and training
By Andrew Trounson, University of Melbourne
re you are reading this article on some sort of screen – a computer, a tablet, or a phone. But
future where there are no screens, no phone handsets or keyboards, and the only mouse is in the
en cupboards.
office of the future, where Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) change our
ves. AR overlays digital information on the real world, while VR creates an immersive, simulated
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 1 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
nt that replaces the real world.
earing smart glasses with a mix of augmented and virtual reality become routine for
Picture: Gettyimages
e workers wear Augmented Reality (AR) glasses to interact with a digital overlay of controls
onto any surface, allowing them to make calls, dictate emails, and operate software simply by
eir hands, arms, legs and even their eyes to command an action. Others wear Virtual Reality
sets to spatially collaborate on 3D tasks – collaborating with colleagues down the road or on the
of the world.
ING WITH SMART GLASSES
field, workers also wear AR glasses that give them instant access to technical information and
s as they work on a building site or liaise with customers. They also use VR headsets in their
us cars, working on designs and fixes with colleagues offsite.
ame will depend on how technology progresses and becomes faster and smaller, and headsets
hter to wear and easier to use,” says University of Melbourne communications and media
n consultant Ben Loveridge.
k given the way it is heading, we can imagine a work place where people will routinely wear
ses or perhaps even smart contact lens that can provide a mix of AR and VR.”
eridge talks to me, he is wearing a VR headset and waving his arms around in a painting
n the computer screen above, I see he is creating a three-dimensional sculpture in Tiltbrush,
hen walks around to get a better look at his handiwork. It isn’t hard to imagine that designers
eers could soon be routinely working together in 3D as they co-create and problem-solve using
y we might be able to easily and accurately track hands and people’s whole bodies without
he say. “Then there is the question of whether we can introduce a sense of touch into VR to
e a feeling of pushing against an object. That may mean wearing special gloves or a whole suit.
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 2 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
ventually be able to simply use eye tracking to govern controls and applications. These are all
people are working on.”
ar could we push virtual reality into other senses like touch? Picture: iStock
nally, businesses are already exploring how the technology can benefit the bottom line.
s Changi Airport is aiming to speed up cargo loading using AR. Ground handlers will use the
ead visual cues attached to different cargoes that then links instantly to loading instructions.
cher Dr Thuong Hoang, at the University of Melbourne’s Microsoft Research Centre for Social
ser Interfaces, says people are only now just starting to realise the huge potential of AR and VR
kplace.
nting training
most people in this area were focused on the technology behind AR and VR rather than what
with it, but that is gradually changing and now people are actively looking for opportunities to
ays Dr Hoang.
y gaming technology, Dr Hoang has used AR to enhance physiotherapy teaching by projecting
muscles and skeleton over a live model. It provides students with a clear, visual understanding of
workings of our bodies.
ification of training introduces a new element of excitement and motivation into learning that
wise be missing,” says Dr Hoang.
R is continuing to gain traction in the area of training and education.
notes that US fast-food giant KFC has created a tongue-in-cheek VR gaming experience to
new staff to the basics of cooking chicken.
a new job is already stressful enough, but if an employer can provide some training using VR or
a new employee starts I can see it making that first day at work a lot less stressful,” says Dr
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 3 of 12
The new hyper-reality of work | Pursuit by The University of Melbourne
10/10/17, 11'32 am
field trips
of Melbourne classics scholar Dr Monique Webber is creating teaching videos, edited by the
Unit in the Faculty of Arts, that use VR to present ancient artworks as 3D objects. Dr Webber
walk around the object, annotating and highlighting important features to the students. These
ns teach students the analytical process they will use in the University’s Object-Based Learning
unimelb.edu.au/articulation/editions/2016-editions/december-2016/object-based-learning-a-new-mode-in-
y handle artefacts from the University of Melbourne’s own collection.
nded learning approach between VR and reality that trains students in the tasks they will use
niversity and in the field,” says Dr Webber, from the School of Historical and Philosophical
xperiencing the artworks in VR during the making of the videos has sometimes meant she has
whole new appreciation of a work.
these objects in the ‘flesh’ in Europe but by being able to actually get close to them in the VR, I
o see completely new relations between form, depth and composition,” says Dr Webber.
she says, will be when the technology becomes affordable enough to allow thousands of
easily access VR. “For the students, it would mean they could all have an experience that
they would only get by travelling to Rome.”
affordable access to high-quality VR may only be a few years away, according to Mr Loveridge.
ment, a VR headset that allows movement in three dimensions, with hand controllers costs at
0 – but smart-phone giants and other tech companies are already moving to make the market
petitive.For Dr Webber, this new reality is already revolutionising teaching.
nology is completely changing the field. Previously teachers developed teaching materials. Now,
nting for opportunities that enhance hands-on learning experiences through the medium of
age and video: Getty Images
First published on 9 October 2017 in Engineering & Technology
VIRTUAL REALIT Y
AUGMENTED REALIT Y
WORK
EMPLOYMENT
d academics
https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/the-new-hyper-reality-of-work
Page 4 of 12