360 Lab Tours

Tags: Virtual Reality Training Technology Immersive Experience

Date: Mar. 2021 - Dec. 2022 (period of my involvement)

Collaborator: Max Chen

For: Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Intentional Design Studio | Academic & Research Computing (ARC)

A multi-year project developing immersive virtual tours and training experiences for research labs, classrooms, and exhibitions at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The project used 360° scanning and virtual reality walkthroughs to expand remote access, support engagement, and provide spatial learning experiences for visitors, students, and trainees.

Lab Demo WPI IDeaS Webpage Posts Panel Talk

PROJECT INTRODUCTION

360 Lab Tours is part of a multi-year project that continues to expand through new cases and applications. The project was first proposed in late 2020 and began in spring 2021, when I led its early development as a senior fellow at WPI's Intentional Design Studio (IDeaS), working in collaboration with Max Chen to provide Matterport-based immersive virtual tours for WPI Academic & Research Computing (ARC). The work was sponsored through IDeaS. Its initial motivation came from the COVID-19 period, when global travel and in-person visits were restricted, and the need for remote access to laboratories and campus facilities became urgent. I led the project during its first two years; near the end of 2022, when I transitioned into a teaching assistant role for WPI's Interactive Media & Game Development (IMGD) program, I handed off the project's continued development to Max Chen.

Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center (2021)

Practice Point (2021)

360 LAB TOURS

In its post-COVID development from the 2021 winter to the 2022 summer, we (Max and I) expanded the project beyond remote visits. We began focusing on more immersive virtual laboratory experiences, embedded learning materials, lab safety training, and digital access to campus archives and exhibitions. The result is a suite of virtual tours and training modules that help bridge physical and digital learning environments, making labs, classrooms, and exhibitions more accessible to students, visitors, alumni, and collaborators who cannot always be present in person. In May 2022, we showcased a stage of this work at DeviceTalks Boston, including the 360 Lab Tours we created for WPI PracticePoint. At the event, we demonstrated the virtual tour experience and provided brief introductions for interested students, faculty, and visitors on how Matterport technology could be used for immersive walkthroughs and training-oriented applications.

Photos of the DeviceTalks Exhibition of 360 Lab Tours for WPI PracticePoint, May 2022.

360 LAB TOURS

For lab safety learning and training, virtual lab tours extend classroom access by giving students spatial and contextual familiarity with laboratory environments before in-person sessions begin. This is particularly useful when class time is limited, because students can review the space, equipment layout, and safety-related materials at their own pace, including outside scheduled class hours. For archives and exhibitions, digital tours create lasting records of temporary or rotating displays, making them accessible to alumni, guests, and viewers who cannot visit campus. By digitizing these spaces, the project extends the reach and lifespan of physical exhibitions while preserving them as shareable virtual experiences.

Bioprocess Center (2021)

Taming an Element: WPI and Fire Protection Engineering (2022)