VR4Teach

VR4Teach is intended to be a low-cost and accessible platform for everyone and was therefore developed for use with smartphones and other internet-enabled devices by connecting to WebVR. A complex and cost-intensive use with special HMDs (like HTC-Vive and Oculus) is not necessary, but is also supported. The application automatically distinguishes whether it is a smartphone or another Internet-capable device such as a PC, laptop or tablet and displays a VR or a simple 3D view derived from this. Thus all participants have the possibility to take part in the activity.

Using the VR4Teach platform, models, animations and entire VR scenarios can be displayed and interactively modified by an administrator. These models are stored on a server and are only loaded onto the devices after runtime, so that a high-performance process and a continuous expansion of the application is possible. Within the application a digital and immersive digression takes place through which the administrator leads. For this purpose, the administrator uses a specially developed Google Daydream app (from Android 7) with hand controller and implements interactions such as marking, scaling, activating, rotating and teleporting. These interactions are carried out by the administrator and are forwarded to the participants via the platform and carried out synchronously. The participants experience an immersive scenario and can look around the event independently. No app is required and participants can participate by calling an HTML page. A shared learning experience is created.

The project was conceived, tested and validated in lectures together with students. The students in the survey advocate the extension of the lecture by a practical part using VR and rated the handling and use of VR4Teach as easy and intuitive.