eXtended Reality lab ( XR-Lab)

USING EXTENDED REALITY TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS.

The Extended Reality Lab (XR-Lab) is dedicated to examining the ways in which individuals interact with simulated environments via Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality. We aim to enhance communication and collaboration through XR technologies across various domains, including education, healthcare, safety, and professional training, catering to academic and industry sectors.

Extended Reality (XR) is an emerging umbrella term for all the immersive technologies virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).

Location: Digital Futures Building, Cincinnati Innovation District.

Lab Director

Ming Tang, Registered Architect, RA , NCARB, LEED AP (BD+C),  Professor at the School of Architecture and Interior Design, College of DAAP, University of Cincinnati.

XR-Lab facilities
The XR-Lab boasts state-of-the-art facilities equipped with high-end VR-ready computers, each workstation loaded with premier development tools such as Unity and Unreal Game Engines, alongside a broad selection of modeling and animation software. These systems are integrated with a variety of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), including Oculus Quest Pro, 3, 2, Rift; HTC Vive Pro Eye, Elite; as well as cutting-edge eye-tracking devices and analytical tools like Tobii Eye Tracking Glasses and screen-based eye-tracking solutions. Further enhancing the immersive experience, the lab features a KAT Treadmill for virtual movement, Mocopi for full-body motion capture, Microsoft HoloLens for mixed reality, and 360-degree cameras for panoramic visual capture.

In addition to its dedicated resources, the XR-Lab benefits from access to shared facilities within the Digital Futures initiative and the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), fostering a collaborative and innovative environment for exploring the vast potential of extended reality technologies.

The VR/AR Center at Digital Futures

The VR/AR center at Digital Future features a 20×30 ft. 14-camera (Arqus 5 Wide) Qualisys motion capture volume for full-body, facial, and hand tracking, a 20×30 ft. multi-user VR volume for up to four simultaneous users, and a variety of AR/VR systems such as the Microsoft Hololens 2, high-end tethered systems (Vive Pro 2, HP G2 Reverb Omnicept, Varjo VR2) with HP VR backpacks, and portable all-in-one systems (Oculus Quest 2, Vive Focus 3).

Additional capabilities also include a whole-body (Teslasuit) and hand (Manus) haptic feedback, Biometric data capture (eye-tracking, heart rate, skin response), Shimmer GSR sensor, 360 video filming services (Insta360), AR/VR and simulation development services, and Environmental scanning and photogrammetry services.

Computer lab at DAAP. The computer graphic center (CGC) at DAAP includes 40 high-end workstations equipped with 3D modeling software such as Maya, 3dsMax, Rhino, and graphic, video, and audio editing programs. The Lab also provides plotters, scanners, and IT tech support.