Student Developer Lab

Overview

Immersive technologies such as XR (including, but not limited to Virtual reality and Augmented Reality) have become a high-functioning emerging trend in the business world, the medical field, and countless other industries and institutions, including higher ed.  As this area continues to grow and as we move closer to the emergence of a functional "metaverse", the need arises to cultivate a community of learners who are able to utilize these technologies to find solutions to problems and create tools and experiences that would serve both the Lehigh community and, more broadly, society.

Similarly, there continues to be a steadily rising interest in "gamification", both in education (and other diverse fields) as well as commercially. The attempt to motivate and engage learners through the use of games has broadly evolved with the application of emerging technologies such as XR, AI, Data Analytics, and others. 

The Lab

The CITL Student Developer Lab is a dedicated space for Lehigh students interested in the design, development, and testing of interactive and game-based applications, assets, and experiences in both immersive 3D and 2D environments. The lab offers students the ability to work collaboratively, as well as independently, utilizing an array of software, hardware, and technologies. Students have unlimited access to the space to design, create, share ideas, and test each other's work. 

Goals

The goals of the CITL Student Developer Lab are threefold:

1. To cultivate a learning environment for interactive and game-based design and development with a focus on immersive technologies such as AR/VR
2. To foster and highlight the value of interdisciplinary collaboration for impactful innovation
3. To utilize emerging technologies to find solutions to problems or new ways of experiencing things

Areas of Development and Production

The lab is available for work in all areas related to this field such as:

• 2D and 3D Game Design andDevelopment
• 3D Modeling / Photogrammetry
• 3D Simulation Development
• 360 Degree Imagery
• Other areas on the periphery of XR that continue to emerge 

Lab Tools & Resources

The lab currently houses a number of tools and resources for both development and testing purposes, including:

• Two VR-ready development computers for collaborative work
• A BYOD (bring your own device) area for independent work
• Large-scale wall displays for sharing, screening, and previewing
• An HTC Vive
• Oculus Quest 1 VR Headset
• Oculus Quest 2 VR Headsets
• Microsoft Hololens AR Headsets
• Magic Leap head-mounted virtual retinal display
• A classroom set of cardboard viewers
• Access to platforms such as Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, Uptale and other development software
• Access to various tutorials, training videos, documentation, specialized courses in Course Site, etc.
• In addition, we work with the Digital Media Studio to make other equipment available for use such as 360 degree cameras, other VR enabled headsets, production software, drones, and more.

Join the Student Developer Lab Team

Do you have an interest in creating new immersive worlds and realities? Are you already designing and developing for VR or AR or even 2D? Whether it be for an academic course or project or your own personal interest, we're looking for Lehigh students who want to be a part of a space that encourages and fosters exploration, learning, and creation in the growing world of of XR, immersive technologies, and game development. Tell us about your interests, work, and goals and apply to be a part of the Student developer Lab today: LTS Student Developer Lab Inquiry Request