Google launches virtual reality labs to help STEM students

Students studying STEM subjects have a new virtual reality tool that could help them get more practical work done away from physical labs.

Google has teamed up with virtual lab simulation specialists Labster to open 30 VR labs, for everything from examining organisms under a microscope to sequencing DNA.

Students will also have the added benefit of techniques not available in the real world, such as seeing and manipulating DNA at the molecular level.

Using Google’s Daydream View headset, or Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream, students can carry out assignments without having to book time in a real lab, which can sometimes be in high demand from other students or a distance from home.

“Through its ability to take people anywhere, virtual reality can be a powerful resource for students who otherwise would not have access to the lab time they need to complete their degrees,” explained programme manager Courtney Hampson.

Arizona State University has already started using the virtual labs while the University of Texas at San Antonio, McMaster University and other institutions across the US and Europe are set to follow.