Research emanates from curiosity.
Remember the puzzling, maddening inane questions kids asked adults until the education system fixed them “good and proper” and made them shut up? Yep, kids must be seen and not heard.
My son, unhappily for me, does not follow this protocol. He will ask whatever he wants to ask, whenever he wants and in so doing, makes me look pretty ordinary. That wife of mine…
“So you guys at DUT have started e-learning,” the son says. “Great. Now tell me what new technologies are you using to improve this experience?” I wax lyrically about a mobile interface, which enhances learn-as-you-go, etc. “Daaaad! I am asking what technology not what interface! I want to know if you are using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in your learning?”
Aside to the reader: I know the Virtual Reality bit but Augmented Reality? Where do these kids pick up this stuff?
“I see your matric school uses e-learning on Saturday using tablets. Why don’t you use one of these technologies in your lesson – that will make you look really cool? I am going to use augmented reality for my school project,” he enthuses.
Now “cool” is something I really, absolutely, desperately want to be. So I decided to learn about this concept. In addition, the editor is unrelenting in his demands for copy even during Lent. So I decided to teach you I warn, just like a few South African experts, that I am just one chapter ahead.
Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-based simulation of physical places in the real world or imagined worlds. Virtual Reality can recreate sensory experiences (sight, smell, sound and touch) through the use of gadgets a user wears such as a headset or artificial gloves. Some of the games your kids play at the casinos (while you gamble) are pretty decent VR games. The business case is that one does not damage property or lose one’s life using such technology. VR has found favour in simulating the real world for training pilots in combat, mine detection and removal and medical procedures. We use the word ‘immersive’ to describe this. So you immerse yourself in the process you want to simulate. It is finding increasing favour in academia. In the South African context we can also use VR to train our taxi drivers. A taxi driver arguably transports more passengers per annum than an airline pilot. Remind me who is compelled to spend time on a simulator?
Regrettably VR and AR requires a lot of effort to generate its core components of simulation, interaction, artificiality and immersion. We do, however, have heaps of underemployed students – and such projects can easily become self-sustaining. At an entry level, the CISCO networking academy uses simulation with great impact to recreate networking challenges for the learner.
Augmented Reality is the blend of Virtual Reality and the real world. Developers create images within applications that blend (augment) with content in the real world and users are able to interact with virtual content in the real world and distinguish between the two. AR elements are augmented by sensory input such as sound, text, video, graphics or GPS data. Google Glass is one good example. In its simplest form, adding the cricket score with required runs per ball or per over to your television picture is a contextual advantage which enhances the viewers’ experience. A child will look at a problem 6+6=? and write 10. So he thinks 6+6=10. If he is not sure he will place his smartphone over the problem, which will interpret the problem, mark it wrong and write 12. Swimming telecasts often overlay a line across the lanes to indicate the position of the current record holder as a race proceeds to allow viewers to compare the current race to the best performance.
Imagine if we can learn tracking techniques from the Khoisan and create a tracker course for our wildlife conservationist to preserve this mesmerising skill. Or if we recreate the Battle of Isandlwana and immerse ourselves in this intriguing battle? What a windfall this will be for tourism in the Midlands. How exciting will history become? The British are already undertaking similar activities in museums and old castles. Why is current positional ranking not used in horse-racing given the oval track?
What is the difference between VR and AR? Both are similar, with the goal of immersing the user in the experience, although they achieve this differently. With AR, users continue to be in touch with the real world while interacting with virtual objects around them. With VR, the user is isolated and immersed in a fabricated world that is completely safe. VR works better with video games and social networking. A virtual environment example is Second Life. AR is likely to have more commercial success though because it does not completely take people out of the real world.
If you love your children and they do well in their exams, stop going to the casino and get them an Oculus Rift consumer headset which will be out this year. You all will have fun! This is your homework. Google it.
Eishh, the wife is talking affectionately to my son, “Can you create an augmented reality app that will have mommy pop out of dad’s smartphone when he digresses onto that e-skills stuff again?” Dear reader, I regret it looks like we have more learning to do in AR to counter this gross effort at the “maintenance of a family unit”.
– Colin Thakur is the Director of the iNeSi e-Skills CoLab at DUT. He is a digital activist keen on upgrading the e-skills of the nation to enhance the quality of life.
* This edited article was published in the Dolphin Coast Mail.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Durban University of Technology.
