The university expects the facility to be completed and fully set up in time for the fall 2027 semester, according to the announcement.
The announcement says the project is funded by gifts to the Library Excellence Fund and will expand University Libraries’ existing immersive reality and virtual capture and production capabilities. Plans include a large room for motion capture, room-scale virtual reality and spatial audio; a smaller room for volumetric capture and Gaussian splatting; high-end computers for development; and a virtual production stage with LED panels on three walls and the ceiling, Virginia Tech News reported.
The university’s Applied Research in Immersive Experiences and Simulations executive director Todd Ogle said the dedicated spaces will allow more efficient work with fewer conflicts over time and technology, and make industry-standard tools available to faculty and students, according to the announcement. It said the virtual production stage will provide a capability Virginia Tech currently lacks for research and teaching.
Virginia Tech News reported that the facility is intended to support classes, research and student projects across the university. University Libraries vice dean Patrick Tomlin said access to the tools will be free and flexible, the announcement said.
The article also says the facility builds on the Virtual Environments Studio in Newman Library, whose staff have provided access to immersive environments for more than 2,000 faculty and students since late 2017.
