Lateral Vision, TAFE SA partner on virtual training
ADELAIDE start-up Lateral Vision is testing new ground for the use of its virtual reality technology in training through its work with TAFE SA.
ADELAIDE start-up Lateral Vision is testing new ground for the use of its virtual reality technology in training through its work with TAFE SA.
Lateral Vision founders Laura Tolson and her brother Alex first dabbled in VR to help their parents boost visitors at their bed and breakfast in NSW’s Hunter Valley.
Since 2014 they have developed virtual tours for visitors to Flinders University’s campuses; Adelaide Zoo’s Lions 360 experience; Adelaide Oval’s marketing of events and meeting spaces as well as for regional wineries.
“For the Adelaide Oval, potential clients can view each room and look at established settings to picture what it would look like and whether it fits the bill for them,” Ms Tolson said.
Now, Lateral Vision is helping TAFE students to learn how to identify hazards and risk in a supermarket plant room or work with new refrigerants in a real-world setting.
Students studying Certificate III in airconditioning and refrigeration at TAFE SA’s Tonsley campus are trialling Lateral Vision technology on the new Lenovo Mirage Solo virtual reality (VR) headsets.
Electrical Lecturer Shannon Baldock said TAFE SA would undertake a pilot program with the new, imported headsets and if successful, would aim to have a pair for an entire class by the end of the year.
“We have developed virtual reality content that will allow students to respond as if they were on an actual live job site,” he said.
“It’s a pilot program and the technology is now more user-friendly, so we have started using it,” he said.
“It’s just the start of evolving training though, and there are others in TAFE’s advanced building and plumbing certifications areas that have expressed an interest in trialling it for their students,” Mr Baldock said.
Refrigeration Certificate III student Sam Slee said the virtual reality headsets gave a good feel of what it’s like to be in a plant room, without actually being on a job site.
Ms Tolson said the course design currently did not allow students to interact with what they are seeing.
“But our VR is built in a gaming engine, so eventually that level of interaction will come in if the client wants it,” she said.
“Alex and I stumbled into VR but we have been operating profitably, which is an indication of how much support the technology is receiving commercially,” she said.
Ms Tolson expects VR could also play a role in school-based learning in SA.