Post by UVA Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

“Building Intelligent Worlds: AI-Powered Extended Reality for Research and Training in Healthcare, Transportation, and Aviation” won second place at Spinning Up the Future on April 21 hosted by The Centrifuge at the School of Data Science! The panel allocated $25,000 to the project, supporting the University’s Omni-Reality and Cognition Lab’s (ORCL) mission for improved training in technical fields. The team included Associate Professor of Engineering Arsalan Heydarian and School of Civil & Environmental Engineering faculty T. Donna Chen, P.E., Devin Harris, and Ryan Henry, as well as Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine Margaret K. Sande. Heydarian outlined a project that uses generative AI to power adaptive, immersive training environments for nurses, VDOT transportation technicians, and air traffic controllers. This innovative XR, extended reality learning could replace static simulations with immersive experiences that could respond in real time to each learner. Heydarian noted that XR learning has become cheaper while studies have shown that it helps students learn faster and the information “sticks” better. He explained that the technology could also address accessibility concerns, especially for rural communities. The funding will support the University’s ORCL, which he says has journeyed from a single bicycle simulator in 2019 to a now multi-domain XR research lab. “Let's create content and interactive environments where we can not only learn and train but also have a lot of experiences built into it,” Heydarian said. Congratulations to all those involved! Read more about the event here: