Harvin Mumick
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Kimberlee Kearfott
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: NERS/BME / Engineering
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 1 – 10am – 10:50am
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Harvin S Mumick, Jordan Noey, Kimberlee Kearfott
Presenter: 75
Abstract
As virtual reality (VR) continues to grow in popularity, it provides a unique platform for users to enter immersive experiences without their real-world consequences. For recruitment into and education for the health physics (radiation protection) profession, VR can provide students an interactive format for learning necessary physics principles and radiation safety measures without the fear of actual danger. Using two software packages, Unity (for designing games) and Blender (for modelling 3D objects), a student team is continuing development of a realistic environment in which a player can learn about radiation physics and protection. A major point of emphasis throughout current development, however, has been improving the game’s immersion. This has led to creating new rooms that reflect a lab setting and can also run efficiently on the VR headset to prevent lag issues that impacted earlier game versions. In game objects are now created from scratch in Blender with this in mind. This had, lead to a pipeline of objects which are then transferred into Unity, inserted into rooms, and then equipped with necessary interactive properties and attributes. The revised environment is more appropriately suited to one in which radiation protection would be necessary. A lag-free tutorial room setting is also being created that provides immersion through a non-player character (NPC) that can talk with the player. The current team has built on the game’s framework by maintaining an accurate portrayal of radiation physics while also ensuring that the game can run efficiently. The importance of efficiency will become even greater as development moves to the main levels of the game and the rooms will be larger and more complex, thus requiring greater attention to detail to ensure that the game can still run smoothly in a more open-world format.
Engineering, Interdisciplinary
