By Connor Swanson, Nora Locicero, and Alex Gilbert
On Thursday, January 30, at 10:00 a.m. on the second floor of D’Amour Library, President Robert Johnson, along with the creators and contributors of Link to VR, cut the ribbon on the library’s new XR lab. Extended reality, known simply as XR, is the umbrella term for virtual technology, such as augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality. Now, this technology is on campus.
President Johnson began the speaking program by saying that “what we’re doing here is real. We’re preparing students for the real world for things that will enable them to be successful out in the world of work.”
The XR lab went from concept to reality in less than two years. WNE alumnus and CEO of Link to VR, Ed Zemba, called President Johnson to share an idea of how the university could get involved with extended reality technology. He explained to President Johnson the work he was doing with his company, providing technology to many institutions, and how it has been successful. Extended reality can be used for academic purposes, such as immersive mock interviews, exploring locations virtually, and piloting drones for inspection on large-scale engineering projects. Zemba asked if the President was interested, and his ideas came to life.
When the microphone was turned to Zemba, he said, “right now, the government, the business sector, the educational, research departments across the United States are predicting the same thing. We are anticipating 100 years of technological progress in the next ten.” Western New England University strives to help their students become educated on the technological advancements that are occurring rapidly and extended reality could be the next big thing.
Marcus Davis, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is the director of the XR lab and is instrumental in overseeing this project. In a WNE media statement, Davis said, “learning about extended reality gives college students a competitive edge in a world where immersive technologies are transforming industries.” Davis continued, “whether it’s healthcare, education, engineering, or business, XR equips students with the tools to innovate, solve real-world problems, and shape the future of digital interaction.”
Several students and faculty were able to attend the grand opening event and had the opportunity to view these new tools through an interactive demonstration. Student Cameron Gravlin, sub-head of VR/AR for WARP Gaming, is excited about the new lab. “I’d love to be able to use this space for club meetings,” Gravlin stated. He hopes to work together with Davis and the Link to VR team to allow students to use the space regularly. If the space and equipment are used for WARP Gaming club meetings, students could become better acquainted with the technology and its capabilities.
Although the XR Lab is an intriguing and innovative addition to campus, there is still a long way to go until the lab is fully operational. In its current state, students passing through the library will only see the XR Lab as a closed, locked room with no information posted.
Davis explained that the XR Lab is in a pilot phase and that “access is initially limited to a select group of classes testing XR software for learning.” The team behind the XR Lab is focusing on running pilot courses and developing a long-term management plan for the lab, including meeting with Student Senate and the Office of Information and Technology to discuss increasing student access to the lab.
Students hoping to get hands-on experience with the XR Lab will have to discuss applying the technology in their courses with their professors or become a member of the WARP Gaming VR/AR subsection, which is currently working on plans to utilize the lab. Davis expects “open sessions and events where students can explore XR technology more freely” to be organized and available sometime during the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year.
When discussing upcoming goals and visions for the lab, Zemba explained that “everyone loves the idea of going from crawl to sprint. However, sometimes if you’re not stretching the legs out first, you could hurt yourself, if you go too fast.” So, while there may be students and faculty who yearn for accessibility to the lab to be immediate, Zemba reminded the group that it is not a race, and that doing it right is what matters most.
Professors interested in applying XR technology in their courses during the lab’s pilot phase should reach out to Dean Marcus Davis ([email protected]) or Educational Technology Director Paul Desmarais ([email protected]).
Students interested in using XR technology through WARP Gaming can contact Cameron Gravlin at [email protected]. To learn more about the technology in the XR Lab, visit https://wne.edu/xr-lab/index.cfm.
