SIT Virtual Campus VR Development
by Singapore Institute of Technology
Part-time Virtual Reality Campus Development Internship
Please note that due to the terms of a Non-Disclosure Agreement associated with this project, I am limited in the amount of detailed information and specific visuals that I can share publicly. The descriptions provided are therefore general and intended to convey the scope of my involvement and the skills I have developed within the permitted bounds of confidentiality.
Introduction
During my tenure as a Virtual Reality Campus Development Intern at the Singapore Institute of Technology, I had the unique opportunity to merge virtual reality with the educational landscape from May to August 2023. I contributed to a pioneering project aimed at transforming how students and faculty would interact with the campus by leveraging VR technology.
Game Objective
The objective of the project was to craft a virtual replica of the forthcoming SIT Punggol campus, still in the throes of construction. This virtual environment was designed to give future students and staff a preview of campus life and facilities. It offered an online interactive platform for users to attend live classes in a 360-degree view, interact with each other, and experience educational content in an immersive setting.
The VR campus also featured interactive rides detailing the campus's architecture, and virtual engineering modules that replicated real-life engineering scenarios in a safe and cost-efficient virtual space.
Accomplishments & Challenges
In my capacity as an intern, I was entrusted with developing an avatar customization feature that integrated Ready Player Me with the Unity-based VR campus prototype. This tool allowed for a personalized virtual presence, enhancing the user experience by providing a sense of identity within the VR campus.
Furthermore, I took on the responsibility of updating the SmartLight Project. This initiative involved programming the interactivity between the Oculus Quest and the actual physical lighting systems of the campus through REST API, enabling users to manipulate real-world lighting from within the virtual space.
The project's technical demands included not only the seamless integration of Ready Player Me but also the rejuvenation of the SmartLight Project to align with updated vendor specifications. These tasks underscored the importance of meticulous research, innovative problem-solving, and adaptability in software development, particularly within the context of rapidly evolving VR technology.
This internship was a formative experience in my academic and professional journey, significantly enhancing my skills in VR development and providing profound insights into the integration of technology in educational settings. The knowledge and expertise gained from addressing these challenges have laid a solid foundation for my aspirations and future endeavors in the evolving landscape of educational technology.