Discover how to address the ethical challenges of XR technologies in education with Polder Perspectives XR, a workshop game designed to raise awareness of public values like privacy, accessibility, and trust in XR. Through guided discussions and real-world scenarios, the game helps educators navigate the challenges of using XR in their work while fostering ethical and responsible approaches to innovation in learning.

Workshop by John Walker (SURF) & Maaike Compagnie (Npuls).

Location: 2.5.02.

Key topics: data privacy & ethics.

In this workshop/presentation we will talk about our SpatialMind project that was funded by a Grassfields grant. We will discuss the process, from identifying the problem to the design of the application. As we are looking to scale-up the use of our flexible learning platform SpatialMind, we invite you to share the types of 3D-learning challenges that you and/or your students encounter. Could we implement your material in our learning platform? Please join to find out!

Presentation by Judith Schomaker & Ineke van der Ham (FSW).

Location: 2.4.34.

Key topics: funding, immersive tech projects at LU.

Discover how virtual reality (VR) can transform university education in this interactive workshop designed to foster a ‘futures thinking’ mindset. Starting with an introduction to VR, featuring a live demonstration of its current uses and transformative potential. Engage in a ‘Futures Wheel’ exercise in small groups, brainstorming societal impacts and key changes needed for VR integration. Each group will explore different scenarios, from immersive classrooms to simulation-based labs.

The workshop concludes with reflections and key takeaways, equipping participants to envision and navigate the future possibilities of VR in education. We look forward to giving you an insight into the future.

Workshop by Shannon van Oosterhout, Levi Chandieshaw & Haya Tarabichi (Future Foresight Honours Students).

Location: 2.5.22.

Key topics: future of immersive tech & societal impact.

In the VR Empathy project, the user experiences a racist train conductor first-hand, walking a mile in the victim’s shoes. Ultimately, this project aims to compare and study the empathy experienced through text vs VR, based on a real-life story.

Demo: Maarten Struijk Wilbrink (FSW).

Location: 2.5.25A.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, development.

Tour by Maureen Meekel & Evert Dekker. 

Location: 2.4.11.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, technical support, & LU's future plans for immersive tech.

What are the key characteristics of an innovation that can 'make or break' its success? How can you use best practices in innovation methodology to identify the type of innovation you have developed, and ensure your ideas and experiments are supported?

Workshop by Uli Botzojorns (LLInC).

Location: 2.4.34.

Key topics: technical support, LU's future plans.

My project helps students to critically understand the most urgent ecological challenges of our times, raising the awareness that is necessary for environmental democracy to work properly. Lack of public understanding and acceptability of environmental challenges can in fact inhibit the implementation of policies to tackle climate change. Furthermore, widespread denialism and anti-scientific argumentations can hinder public participation and engagement in environmental policymaking.

This project aims to overcome these difficulties by investing in education, with the goal of creating immersive learning programs that can transfer, in a direct and effective way, operative knowledge about ecological crises.

Presentation by Dario Fazzi (Humanities).

Location: 2.5.22.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, immersive tech in the classroom.

In this presentation, we will discuss potential uses of Gaussian Splatting in VR. This technology has already shown us a powerful and quick new method for rapid, 3D prototyping. Its implementation in VR is still a work in progress, but the strides forward so far have been impressive to say the least.

This presentation will follow a three-part trajectory: first, we will discuss the technology on a theoretical level and its use in academic contexts, using the example of an existing, ongoing project with Criminology. This will be followed by a short demo of the tools that we currently use to deploy it in our lab, and the various stumbling blocks and workarounds we have encountered. We will also share best practices for capturing and post-producing photos and videos to achieve the best results from the training program. Finally, we will demo the work-in-progress from Criminology, providing a full-fledged Gaussian Splatting experience for participants before soliciting feedback.

Presentation by Nathan Saucier (LLInC).

Location: 2.5.02.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, development, technical support.

Tour by Maureen Meekel & Evert Dekker. 

Location: 2.4.11.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, technical support, & LU's future plans for immersive tech.

Join us for an engaging workshop centered on the XR4Human, an ambitious three-year initiative aimed at fostering a competitive European XR ecosystem through the development of ethical, policy, and regulatory frameworks. 

We’ll explore key challenges for the XR sector, focusing on the development of a Code of Conduct (CoC) grounded in the European community needs. This session will present challenges and solutions and actively gather feedback from users and developers to validate the CoC’s relevance and usability. 

Contribute to shaping the future of ethical XR technologies!

Workshop by Marco Correa Perez & Melissa Amoros Lark (LLInC).

Location: 2.4.34.

Key topics: IP & legal, data privacy & ethics,  immersive tech projects at LU.

Discover how the increasing advances in LiDAR technology have made 3D scanning an accessible and engaging new tool for university educators. This hands-on workshop demonstrates how to create detailed 3D models of material sources; artifacts, spaces, or objects, allowing new perspectives in teaching and research. Emphasizing ease of use and creativity, participants will explore how to bring immersive learning experiences to students, foster interactive engagement, and integrate 3D models in your educational practices. Perfect for educators seeking innovative tools to enrich their pedagogy and inspire fresh approaches to source analysis. 

Workshop by Max Montfrooij (LLInC).

Location: 2.5.22.

Key topics: immersive tech projects at LU, technical support, immersive tech in the classroom.

In this interactive session you will learn more about the science of learning with XR. We will discuss the usefulness of the immersion principle by Makransky. What learning goals can be achieved and when is immersive learning best avoided? We will give examples of immersive learning environments and assess their usefulness together. You will also learn some of the benefits XR can have for research and your students. We hope to see you there!

Workshop by Maaike Compagnie (Hogeschool Rotterdam & Npuls). 

Location: 2.5.02.

Key topics: immersive tech in the classroom.

Never had the chance to try out an actual VR experience? To ensure everyone gets this opportunity during the event, we’ll have two additional Meta Quest headsets available, featuring a variety of applications. Draw your own world or play a fun game. Explore these apps and experience the potential of virtual reality firsthand!

Demo: Donna Schipper (LLInC).

Location: 2.5.25A.

Key topics: getting started with immersive tech.

The merits and pitfalls of creating open source projects within closed source systems such as Unity.

Demo: Maarten Struijk Wilbrink (SOLO).

Location: 2.5.26A.

Key topics: development, technical support.