Improvements to computer software, graphics cards, and processing power have made virtual reality more robust — and cheaper — than ever before. And as companies find themselves drawn to the technology, some colleges are discovering that a virtual-reality lab can do big business.
Wright State University, for example, has opened a virtual-reality lab that lets businesses conduct demanding computer-simulation projects without buying their own high-powered machines. Use of the lab costs $1,000 a day, but plenty of companies have reason to be interested: Carmakers and aviation firms have long used computer simulations, and now energy companies and manufacturers of farm equipment are following suit, reports the Associated Press. —Brock Read
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.