Body Quest is a room-scale virtual reality playground for learning about biology and chemistry. Learning about how complex microscopic 3D structures interact is hard on paper, and only slightly easier with videos or passive 3D simulations. Interactive, room-scale VR environments open up new possibilities for building an intuitive and visual understanding of these subjects—and it can even be fun!
Our video was submitted to the DOE EdSim Challenge. It is a fully functional prototype—the mixed reality video representing the physical and virtual experiences were composited in real-time by calibrating physical and virtual cameras, while filming in front of a green screen. The prototype is built around one particular biochemical interaction, whereby a viral protein cleaves sugar off the end of a mucus chain. We hope to develop future learning interactions around a general simulation backend, which will host both structured and unstructured learning experiences, including games.
Video credits:
Produced by: Scott W. Greenwald and Wilhelm Weihofen
Directed and edited by: Theji Jayaratne
Development and animation by: Wiley Corning and Max Rose
Cast: Adriana Harris and Katherine Villa
Our EdSim Challenge Team also includes Eva Fast (subject matter expert), Navid Khonsari (game design), Arian Nakhaie (secondary education), and Erich Mueller (secondary education).