THE FUTURE OF VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY Make tomorrow better. research.curtin.edu.au

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We’ve collaborated with a number of industry partners to develop creative applications for VR and data visualisation technologies, helping our partners leverage the unique opportunities of our expertise and resources.

Our state-of-the-art facilities, like the HIVE (Hub for Immersive Visualisation and eResearch), allows the

opportunity to experience VR, AR, MR and immersive technology projects to find interdisciplinary solutions to real-world challenges.

We are at the forefront of XR technologies across a range of disciplines, including humanities, business, health and engineering, utilising our cutting-edge facilities such as the Motion Analysis Laboratory for research into human movement, and Makerspace, which fosters exploration, innovation and collaboration through making.

Our interdisciplinary mixed reality experience and expertise enables a wide range of applications, from learning and teaching, to data visualisation for industry and academia, story-telling and even medical applications, for example:

With a spirit of innovation, Curtin University infuses outstanding research with industry, business and government partnerships. We push the limits of understanding, solving problems for industry and society, and inspiring local, national and global communities.

VR FOR SPINAL CORD INJURY REHABILITATION The HIVE team has developed a virtual-reality cooking simulation that can be used by a quadriplegic patient to help improve upper limb function and regain more independence. VR is immersive and imaginative, which allows us to provide a motivating and low-risk rehabilitation environment.

Project Lead: Associate Professor Marina Ciccarelli, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology

BEACON VIRTUA A virtual-reality simulation of Beacon Island, site of the shipwrecking of the Dutch ship Batavia in 1629, has been created to allow users to virtually visit this remote location and learn about the history of the island. The simulation has been deployed to multiple platforms allowing the experience to be viewed by a wide audience.

Project Lead: Dr Andrew Woods, Curtin HIVE – in cooperation with WA Museum and UWA

CHEMISTRY EDUCATION IN VR A custom VR environment has been developed which allows two users wearing head-mounted-displays to be shrunk down to molecular level to learn about and experience the docking of atoms and proteins.

Project Lead: Dr Mihye Won, School of Education

Expanding the future of virtual and augmented reality technologies

Cover image: Milky Way above Lake Ballard 360, Dr John Goldsmith, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy and Celestial Visions. Photographer: Robert Frith – Acorn Photo.

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GONE IN 360 SECONDSA 360° 3D VR short fi lm which places viewers amidst the action of a dramatic heist that takes place in an exotic car workshop. The fi lm is shot in both Character Point of View (CPV) and Immersive Point of View (IPV) to allow viewers to experience the diff erence between two diff erent narrative viewpoints. The production sought to illustrate how new fi lmmaking techniques can be applied to content viewed in a VR head-mounted display.

Project Lead: Dr Stuart Bender, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Enquiry - in cooperation with Virtual Guest

EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF STORE ATMOSPHERICS WITH IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY Using the Curtin HIVE Dome display, the Consumer Research Lab uses 360-degree images and videos to immerse consumers into diff erent retail environments. Combined with biometric measures such as facial expression and skin conductance analysis, this innovative project examines the eff ect of store design as well as store atmospherics (e.g. tactile and olfactory). Over 600 individuals from the Discovering Marketing unit took part in a user study using this experience – the results of which are providing useful knowledge about consumer behaviour.

Project Leads: Dr Billy Sung and Dr Min Teah, Consumer Research Lab, Luxury Branding Research Centre, School of Marketing

MARS IN VRTopographic data from the HiRISE Mars satellite has been used to create a realistic depiction of the Martian environment. Users can traverse this environment in simulated air and ground vehicles, as well as on foot. The environment can be viewed using a VR head-mounted-display allowing users to explore the Martian landscape in full stereoscopic 3D and allowing for more immersive visualisation than was ever possible with conventional 2D rendering.

Project Lead: Professor Gretchen Benedix, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences – with Curtin Computer Science student Jack McNair

HMAS AE1 RECONSTRUCTION The wreck of Australia’s fi rst submarine was discovered in December 2017. A survey in April 2018 captured more than 8,000 images of the wreck which has allowed a detailed and photo-realistic 3D model of the wreck to be developed. Visitors to the HIVE are now able to have a large-screen virtual reality experience to see the wreck as it lies on the sea fl oor today.

Project Lead: Dr Andrew Woods, Curtin HIVE – in cooperation with Find AE1 Ltd, Vulcan Inc, Australian National Maritime Museum and WA Museum

VISUALISING CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES USING MDV Activated carbons are man-made disordered nanoporous materials. Visualisation of the structures using the HIVE Cylinder display and MDV soft ware give an unparalleled view to aid in understanding the role of morphological features. Visualisation also allowed us to assess how oxygen bonded to the carbon structure. These results provide, for the fi rst time, a realistic approach to modelling the complex structures of activated carbons. The underlying VR application “Molecular Dynamics Visualiser ” (MDV) has been developed at Curtin.

Project Leads: Associate Professor Nigel Marks and Dr Carla de Tomas, Carbon Group, Discipline of Physics – in cooperation with Professor Ricardo Mancera, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science and Professor Andrew Rohl, Curtin Institute for Computation

CULTURAL HEALING THROUGH VIRTUAL REALITY: STOLEN GENERATION SURVIVORS AND MISSION SITESThe reconstructed virtual environment can be used as a digital story-telling tool, not only for the Stolen Generation survivors and their families, but as an education tool for the wider Aboriginal and non-indigenous community. The VR environment is a tool in itself which the user navigates to learn and develop an understanding of the Aboriginal inter-generational trauma. The VR environment is a tool used by the survivors to share their stories, experiences and memories of their childhood at the missions.

Project Lead: Professor Reena Tiwari, School of Design and the Built Environment – in cooperation with Bringing Them Home WA

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© 2019 Curtin University CRICOS Provider Code 00301J ADV119164

Curtin University has a range of leading-edge facilities which support high-quality research in areas relevant to VR, AR and MR.

THE HIVEThe Curtin HIVE (Hub for Immersive Visualisation and eResearch) is an advanced facility established by Curtin University to serve the growing demands of researchers and industry for visualisation, virtualisation and simulation capabilities in Western Australia.

Nationally and internationally, data collection is becoming more intensive. Sensor technologies are improving in quality and capacity, delivering a dramatic increase in data volumes. The HIVE enables a new and improved capability in the interpretation, presentation and communication of research data.

Using the HIVE’s large-screen and immersive visualisation systems, researchers from all disciplines can explore the eff ective and imaginative use of advanced technologies in a wide range of research and real-world projects. From the physical sciences and engineering to the health sciences, and from the humanities and creative arts to business, the HIVE delivers powerful data enrichment capabilities, creating new opportunities for knowledge and a superior teaching and training environment.

The HIVE systems consist of the Tiled Display, Cylinder, Wedge, Dome, Hologram Table and a wide range of VR and AR headsets.

PAWSEY SUPERCOMPUTING CENTRE The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre hosts one of the fastest supercomputers in the southern hemisphere.

Curtin is a joint venture partner in the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre and our academic staff are active users of the advanced computing and visualisation capabilities at Pawsey.

Projects include molecular modelling, photogrammetric 3D reconstruction processing, and computational fl uid dynamics simulation.

MOTION ANALYSIS LABORATORYThe Motion Analysis Laboratory is designed for research into human movement activities. The space includes a Vicon 18-camera high-speed optical motion capture system,

wireless electromyography to assess muscle activation and function during movement and a space for run-through motion analysis. Located on the Perth campus, the Motion Analysis Laboratory is one of the many modern facilities used for teaching, research and evaluation. Motion Analysis systems are used worldwide for a wide range of applications in VR, games, VFX and fi lms.

THE CURTIN MAKERSPACE A makerspace is a physical space that is used to create and learn through practical, hands on experiences. Fostering community building; makerspaces encourage experimentation, exploration and the sharing of tools, materials, knowledge and expertise. The makerspace is a collaborative, cross-disciplinary space. Located in the Robertson Library at Curtin’s Perth campus, the space is open to students and staff during the teaching semester. The space includes a range of tools, soft ware, equipment and materials including VR head-mounted displays, tablets, robotic equipment, 3D printers, cameras, and games.

Partnering with Curtin UniversityWhen you partner with Curtin, you benefi t from our deep and varied expertise, innovative mindset and immersive facilities.

We’ve collaborated with a number of industry partners to develop creative applications for XR and data visualisation technologies, helping our partners leverage the unique opportunities of our expertise and resources.

From virtual archaeology to physical rehabilitation and user experience testing, our research is powerful and supported by our impressive facilities, including the HIVE and the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre.

To learn more about our research and how we can work together, visit research.curtin.edu.au or email ROCReception@curtin.edu.au

To fi nd out more about the HIVE and related facilities, visit curtin.edu.au/hive or email HIVE@curtin.edu.au

FACILITIES

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