Introduction to Virtual Reality (VR)
What is Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) is the latest technology that immerses users in the virtual world. Immersive here, the point is that users interact with the virtual world as if – sports are physically there and forget the boundaries between the real world and the virtual world. The experience offered by VR can be in the form of educational, entertainment, or a combination of both. VR often develops over time, and its use also spreads to various industries such as games, health services, and tourism.
Figure 1 a Boy playing Virtual Reality
Definition and Introduction of VR
Generally, the technology used by VR is through a headset that covers the face of the eye. Inside the device, the eye is directed at a digital screen that can interact 360′. With the help of a gyro sensor, the visual display will adjust to present another angle of the virtual room when the head confronts a certain angle.
Virtual Reality History
Regarding the emergence of virtual reality, its history can be seen again in the mid-20th century, when research and technology about visual devices used on the head and motion detection sensors began. Furthermore, from the late 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century, VR device technology found its momentum to be ready for use in the industry. Virtual Reality (VR) emerged in 1980 from a science fiction novel. Until now, VR technology has continued to develop with more complete features and more affordable prices. In the early 1990s, many paid attentions to VR technology, but at that time, consumer adoption was still sluggish because devices were too expensive and the number of industries that made it still small. Even so, with advances in the fields of computing, graphic processing, and electronic components that are more affordable, VR is starting to be received slowly – land mass. Head-mounted VR brands such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vice, and Playstation VR provide a rich immersion experience at an affordable price.
Application of VR
VR has gone through a climax and massif used by various industrial sectors and private consumers. In the game sector, VR opens a new genre for exploratory games with various themes and backgrounds. Not only that, VR is also widely used as an interactive and fun learning medium, allowing students to visit museums, historic events, complicated natural concepts, and more. Medical workers also feel many benefits from VR in the field of medicine. Such uses include simulations of medical training, surgical planning, and even therapy for patients with abnormalities in anxiety disorder. In architecture, VR is widely used to show property assets virtually so potential buyers can feel “walking” around the buildings offered.
Figure 2 Medical workers utilize VR
Furthermore, VR is also widely applied in the entertainment field. Countries famous for pop culture in Asia, such as Korea, have held many virtual concert events that can be accessed through VR technology. Even VR can significantly reduce the safety risks in dangerous training such as aviation, nuclear, and deep sea diving so that experience can be obtained without any real risk.
The Rise of VR in Education
Virtual Reality is arguably still an unexpected new technology that will enliven the world of cinema lately. Its use in the world of education is also just a surface. Lots of positive potential that can be used from VR technology. From the perspective of storytelling (narrative), VR content gives a different experience than flat video narratives, where flat narrative videos don’t ask viewers to do anything other than ‘watch’. The VR video assumes the audience will ‘move around where to exploit the 360 video while listening to the narrative explanation from the audio side. Therefore, in making VR narrative videos, the narrative does not have to relate to a particular location of the VR video so that the audience can still enjoy VR audio explanation while exploring the entire ‘angle’ VR video according to the context. Whatever the audience sees in VR video must always be relevant to the audio explanation. An example is an explanatory video The following American Museum of Natural History https://vimeo.com/206627186
VR for Education and compatibility with courses
There are at least 10 VR Benefits for Education and its mapping with courses commonly taught on lecture benches, namely Focused Immersion, Remote Presence, Virtual Rehearsal, Empathy Agent, Active Autonomy Extraordinary Abilities, Multi-Sensory Experience, Contextualized Learning, Time Machine Effects and Global Teleportation. The following are explanations one by one. 1. Global Teleportation
The ability to move virtually makes students feel other places, such as the moon, space objects or other hemispheres. One application that is in high demand is Google Earth VR. Regarding Global Teleportation, some courses that can be applied are: Geography, Astronomy, Medicine ( entry into human organs ), and Biology ( entry into biota organs ).
2. Time Machine Effect
Travelling time allows students to see virtually the conditions in the past or future predictions. Students can feel the Batavia war, the Bandung burning in the Fire Ocean Bandung, and the second proclamation on August 17, 1945. In addition, students can be brought to see the future according to scientists’ predictions, such as future transportation, sky constellations, or society in the 22nd century.
Regarding the Time Machine Effect, the courses that can be applied are: History (Religion, Nation, ) Futurology. 3. Contextualized Learning
If all this time, students get an explanation of the Borobudur temple in the classroom, then through VR, students learn about an object by feeling virtually located near the object being studied.
That way, the level of understanding will increase because students not only imagine but witness the object being told virtually. Regarding Contextualized Learning, the courses that can be applied are: Can all courses be close to material (can be felt ) like Automotive, Logistics, Nuclear and also courses that offer experiences such as communicating with foreigners, playing music, Dj-ing and others. 4. Multi-Sensory Experience
Semenatara tablets offer learning with touchscreen interactions but cannot give me the multi-sensory experience that VR provides. In VR, students can move in space, manipulate objects, hear 3D sounds, feel fear and admiration, and “stop time”. This experience is of much use if applied in courses: Prehistoric, Astronomy, Fantasy World, Games, Painting / Art, Role Art and others. An example that already exists is Hold The World and Tilt Brush.
5. Extraordinary Abilities
Students can feel experiences as superheroes, such as lifting cars, blowing up the world, breaking borders and so on. This experience is very useful to be applied to courses which, when using the lab, will cost very much like : Aviation, Space, Nuclear, Diving, Volcanology, Planning and more.
6. Active Autonomy
When treated with a VR adventure, students can decide what steps will be taken without relying on group decisions. Take examples such as exploring Mars, dealing with criminals, arguing in the siding room ( lawyer ), and then, students can train independence in making decisions. Subjects that can be applied to these benefits include : Law, criminology, Language, culture, literature, sociology, public speaking, psychology, and other case-based courses.
7. Empathy Agent
Experience 360 Videos brought by VR open up students’ opportunities to be in a place where an event touches emotions. VR can give the experience beyond storytelling and touch empathy. Student can be taught what it’s like to live in a Syrian refugee camp, Tamansari slum housing, or as simple as a parent’s business in making a living.
This experience is beneficial for courses that require a variety of dependents, such as : Role art, Religion ( Feel the pilgrimage, death ), Photography, Cinema, literature and others. 8. Virtual Rehearsal
Students are often too lazy to repeat a lesson because they are absent in a studio or lab. Through a virtual environment, students can more easily repeat a lesson by entering a virtual lab, virtual stage, virtual dojo, virtual helicopter, and honing skills until they can. Exercise no longer must be time and place-bound, increasing the effectiveness of achieving student competence quickly.
Various vocation-based courses can apply VR with the Virtual Rehearsal benefit. 9. Remote Presence
When VR is brought further with the internet network, we gather people from various countries in a virtual room. This benefit can be optimized to create conferences, large-scale lectures, meetings, and symposia. Students can represent their country or community and appear in world forums without being constrained by distance and time. This benefit is very appropriate for courses : Communication, Business, Organization, Economics, Social Affairs, Politics, Law and other social sciences.
10. Focused Immersion
The fact that students use a headset makes it very focused on VR material and is free of distribution with the surrounding environment. Origin is well managed or accompanied, and students can spend more time with the subject matter without distribution to the real world.
Telkom University: Pioneering VR in Indonesia
As the best private campus in Indonesia, Telkom University is at the forefront of implementing VR in its curriculum. With state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated expert team, Telkom University continues to shape the future of digital education in Indonesia. At 33 in 2023, Telkom University has presented many qualified graduates absorbed in various industrial and non-industry sectors. Following its motto, “Contribute to the nation”, Telkom University is committed to being at the forefront of art and technology research and education for the world. Not only that but as proof of its commitment to the world of digital education, Telkom University obtained ISO 20000 and ISO 21001 certifications related to IT service management systems. This further enhances Telkom University as a leading private campus in prioritizing the quality of education in Indonesia.
Telkom University As a VR Pioneer in Indonesia.
A successful history of Telkom University was carved into being the first Campus in Indonesia to hold online graduation in the world of Metaverse by utilizing VR technology. The Telkom University Senate Open Session ( Tel-U), in the second period of the academic year 2021/2022, took an innovative step by holding a graduation ceremony at Metaverse. This virtual platform was first used for this kind of activity in Indonesia since the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Anisah Firli, chair of the graduation committee, stated that this was a form of innovation from Telkom University and a new experience for graduates. This graduation theme is ‘Tough Generation’, expecting graduates to have commitment and resilience in facing future challenges. Fat’hah Noor Prawita, lecturer at Telkom University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, explained that the Metaverse concept was supported by the customized Mozilla Hubs platform, which allows graduators to experience graduation directly on campus via a laptop or Virtual Reality headset (VR).
Figure 3 Screen capture of the first metaverse graduation from Telkom University
Case Study: VR Projects at Telkom University
Metalabs
Telkom University built a Lab Focusing on Metaverse and VR Application Development called Metalabs as a form of responsibility and commitment to developing virtual reality technology in Indonesia. Under the auspices of the Interactive Multimedia and Technology KK at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the lab has done a lot of research with the VR theme, AR and Metaverse, and works with national and international partners. Furthermore, products produced by Metalabs have won many races, obtained IPR and produced profit-oriented startups from multimedia-based commercial products.
Several national and global partners have worked with Metalabs, including Adobe, Google, Microsoft, BRIN, BNI 46, and others.
Figure 4 partners of Metalabs
Some of the products from Metalabs that are in the applied and commercial stages are Badaru, Megamendung, Punakawan, AR-Satwa, Personal Finance and Kidtective :
Figure 5 Products of metalabs
Some startups produced by Metalabs include Cube Studio and Creducent :
Some international projects undertaken by Metalabs include international student visibility, international community service and international collaborative research :
Figure 6 Documentations of Metalabs Projects and Activities
The Global Perspective: How Telkom University Stands Out
Telkom University’s commitment is not only in the national sphere but also boasts Indonesia in the International stage. Telkom University has been selected as the Metaverse Research & Experience Center in Indonesia by the Meta company, resulting from a meeting between the Indonesian Delegation and Meta led by Menkominfo RI, Johnny G. Plate. The first meeting took place at the Mobile World Congress event (MWC), which was then followed by another meeting in Madrid, Spain, with Indonesian representatives consisting of Mulyadi from Kominfo, Bayu Hari Saktiawan from KBRI Madrid, and Lia Yuldinawati from Telkom University.
Figure 7 Telkom University delegations at MWC
The meeting between the digital community in Indonesia and the industry focused on metaverse collaboration, which resulted in the selection of Telkom University as the Metaverse Research & Experience Center in Indonesia. Four proposed workstream activities that are aspired are Baselining Network, Metaverse Ready Network, use case Metaverse application and Metaverse ecosystem support. The results have the potential to be implemented in the digital transformation of Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Indonesia, with Telkom University as the coordinator. Mulyadi from Kominfo and Lia Yuldinawati from Telkom University stressed this collaboration’s importance in supporting national digital transformation programs and building a metaverse ecosystem in Indonesia.
Conclusion: The Future of VR and Telkom University’s Role
Telkom University is the right choice for those who want to work in Virtual Reality (VR) and Metaverse. As a leading university, Telkom University offers quality education programs and the most advanced facilities and research in the fields of VR and Metaverse. Selected as the Metaverse Research & Experience Center in Indonesia, the university is committed to innovating and developing the latest technology. With various national and international collaborations and full support from industry, Telkom University offers learning experiences that are theoretical, practical, and relevant to future needs. So, suppose you want to be part of a generation that is formidable, committed, and actively contributing to developing future technology. In that case, there is no better choice than continuing your education at Telkom University. Let us jointly build Indonesia’s digital future!
Predictions for the evolution of VR in the next decade
In at least the next ten years, VR is expected to be more affordable and adopted by the lower middle class of the world community because of technological advances from hardware and software that are more effective, efficient, and economical. This will impact integrating new AI, AR, and IoT technologies. A lighter, cordless, graphic handset with sharp details will significantly improve hardware capability. In addition, haptic responses are also expected to be more realistic. Various VR products will more broadly reach areas that have not yet appeared and visible signs. Social interaction in VR will also become more fluid and seamless, allowing more people and objects to be connected, interact and collaborate in cyberspace. User experience will be increasingly realistic with multimedia overflows that approach real quality so that it blurs the boundary between the real world and cyberspace. Mobile devices will be increasingly popular so that VR can not only be enjoyed indoors but can also be used when travelling. From a content standpoint, there will be a significant surge as more and more engine gaming platforms make it easy for developers to build VR games in a shorter time. In addition, VR will be increasingly used in addition to entertainment and educational purposes, such as therapeutic ( treating anxiety, PTSD and excessive fear ).
Telkom University’s roadmap for VR research and development
To realize the vision as the leading campus in Virtual Reality technology, Telkom University has a long-term roadmap that is a reference in research and development of metaverse and VR products on a National and Global scale. The Metaverse Research Roadmap initiated by Metalab Telkom University is as follows :
Figure 8 Metaverse Roadmap of Metalabs Telkom University
Join and be part of the VR revolution at Telkom University.
Telkom University is the right choice for those who want to be Virtual Reality and Metaverse experts. As the best private university in Indonesia, Telkom University offers quality education programs, leading research facilities, and working with global partners that will significantly impact your future. Telkom University continues to be committed to continuing to innovate and develop the latest technology that makes Indonesia always compete with other countries in realizing a better world future. With various national and international collaborations and fully supported by industry, Telkom University offers learning experiences that are theoretical, practical, and relevant to today’s challenges and future needs. So, suppose you want to be part of a generation of integrity, excel and contribute actively to shaping a better future. In that case, there is no better choice than continuing your education at Telkom University. Let us together – together build Indonesia’s digital future! “Ayo #RaihMasaDepanmu bersama Telkom University!”
References
Kemp., Jerrold E., 1995, Instruction Desigen: A Plan for Unit and Course Development. Belmon: Feron. Martha Kaufeldt. (2008). Teachers, Change Your Bait! Brain – Compatible Differentiated Instruction. USA : Crown House Publishing Company LL.C. https://telkomuniversity.ac.id/telkom-university-gelar-wisuda-metaverse-pertama-di-indonesia/ https://www.detik.com/edu/perguruan-tinggi/d-6383155/telkom-university-ditunjuk-jadi-pusat-riset-metaverse-indonesia https://metalabs.id/#