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Applied Research in Immersive Experiences and Simulations (ARIES)

Photo of student holding a VR remote while wearing a headset. Student is inside of a replica of a war tunnel that they can feel as they see it in VR.

Student Focused

Discover, create, and share

Our students discover, create, and share their own creations in the form of games, simulations, virtual reality, and augmented reality experiences for learning and entertainment.

Photo of students presenting AR work where they modeled dinosaurs in 3D.

Real World Experience

Professional interactions

Students have the chance to have formal and informal interactions with interested peers, faculty, industry partners, and researchers.

Students and faculty gathered around a computer in the library working on a VR exhibit.

Access to technology

Provided by the University Libraries

The ARIES program is housed within the Virtual Environments Studios on the fourth floor of Newman Library. The studios include three rooms with the most current wearable virtual and augmented reality equipment, high-end Windows workstations for development, a motion capture stage, mixed reality recording facility, and spatial audio studio.

Faculty  |  Research and Development

ARIES can provide the development needed for research on or with immersive technologies, such as the modeling and programming needed for a virtual anatomy simulation or a historic site visit in augmented reality. Contact Todd Ogle, executive director, to learn how ARIES can partner with you on grant proposals, research, and development. ARIES can provide help in:

  • 3D modeling
  • Laser scanning
  • Photogrammetry
  • Game engine programming
  • 360 video production
  • WebXR development

Ready to get started?

Get in touch with Exective Director Todd Ogle at togle@vt.edu.

Students  |  Hands-On Experience

ARIES’s studio prepares you for the workforce with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities through interdisciplinary work in immersive environments development, gaming for entertainment and learning, evaluation, visualization design, and development. You can engage via independent studies, field studies, coursework, and wage positions. Skills developed include:

  • Aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, laser scanning
  • Archival research, print graphics, motion graphics
  • 3D modeling and retopologizing
  • Game engine programming for VR and AR
  • 360-degree video production
     

Ready to get started?

Contact Program Coordinator Sarah Tucker at sarahat2@vt.edu.

April 5, 2019 - A festival goer experiences the Exploring the World War I Tunnels of Vauquois through Virtual Reality exhibit during the Virginia Tech and Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History ACCelerate: ACC Smithsonian Creativity and Innovation Festival on Friday, April 5, 2019. (Photo by Erin Williams/Virginia Tech)

Library patron walking through the Vauquois Exhibit wearing a virtual reality headset.
A festival goer experiences the Exploring the World War I Tunnels of Vauquois through Virtual Reality exhibit. Photo by Erin Williams for Virginia Tech | Friday, April 5, 2019

Our Team

  • Todd Ogle, Executive Director
  • Sarah Tucker, Program Coordinator
  • Zac Kim, Project Manager
  • Alayna Ricard
  • Atlas Vernier
  • Brian Swogger
  • Cherelle Conno
  • Diana Ofori-Manu
  • Emma Winters
  • Jared Wildermuth
  • Jasmine Yarborough
  • Karina Springer
  • Katie Webster
  • Leah Ican
  • Macey Cohn
  • Matthew Gallagher
  • Namita Shashidhar
  • Nayha Pochiraju
  • Nicole Muller
  • Pradyumann Singhal
  • Rebecca Whitten
  • Sonny Qiu
  • Taylor Carroll

What Past Partners Have Said

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“I wanted to thank you for giving me the chance to work with you and the ARIES team this past semester. It was an amazing experience that grew my knowledge and helped me get into grad school. This job was exactly what I needed to start my path into geospatial research. The projects you are working on are very interesting and a joy to be involved in.”

“I'd like to thank you and the team for all the opportunities you've provided to me and all the creative students here; you've opened more doorways for us than you probably know.”