Michael Jarvis’ latest digital history project at the University of Rochester couldn’t come at a better time.
Aerial image of Fort Amsterdam in May 2019 before start of excavations. (Photo courtesy of Michael Jarvis)
“Black Past Lives Matter: Digital Kormantin,” funded with a $99,874 NEH Digital Humanities grant, will create a website with meticulously detailed virtual tours of a 1632 English fort on the coast of Ghana that was among the earliest to send enslaved Africans to the American colonies.
Sustained Black Lives Matter protests have focused national attention on persisting racial inequalities in the United States. Because this racism “has been centuries in the making, reconciliation depends upon all Americans understanding a Black history extending back four centuries temporally and across the Atlantic world spatially,” says Jarvis, a history professor who also infuses archaeology and digital media studies in his teaching and research.
Unity software was used to superimpose a model of the 1790 reconstruction of Fort Amsterdam onto an image of the current ruins compiled with photogrammetry. (Courtesy of Michael Jarvis)
Moreover, the website will be accessible to millions of people who, even without the travel barriers raised by COVID 19, would never have the means or opportunity to visit the coast of Ghana.
“Although no substitute for an actual visit, this project will make virtual visitation possible for an historic site every bit as important to American history as Jamestown or Plymouth Rock,” says Jarvis.
This looks like a lot, but it’s not. Just making the process super-duper clear. 😉
Step 1: Download and Install the Unity Hub (available on Mac and PC).
The Unity Hub is a standalone application that streamlines the way you find, download, and manage your Unity Projects and software installations. Read more about the Unity Hub here.
From your Downloads folder, double-click on the Unity Hub Setup file to begin the installation. (If on a Mac, drag the application into your Applications folder, then double-click on it.)
Agree to Unity Terms of Service and follow the instructions to install Unity Hub.
Step 2: Download and install Unity version 2021.1.16
There are many different versions of the Unity software, as its developed and released over time. During this workshop, we’ll be using version 2021.1.16f1.
In the Installs tab, click Add to add a new Unity version.
Choose 2021.1.16f1
Choose to install Visual Studio (for Mac or PC) and Android Build Support
Accept any necessary terms and conditions and begin installation.
Step 3: Create a Unity ID.
From the Account menu in Unity Hub, click to Sign in.
If you already have an account, sign in. Otherwise, you can create a new Unity ID.
You may receive a notice about needing to activate a license. You can do this under the settings menu (click the cog in the upper-right corner). From there, you can click License Management in the menu and choose a personal license.
Choose Unity Personal and I don’t use Unity in a professional capacity.
Step 4: Download and import the workshop package.
Just download this file. Create a new Unity project and import the package. This video shows you how to import the package.
Step 5: Bring a Mouseif you have one!
You do not need a mouse to participate, but it will be very helpful. Otherwise, please be prepared to right-click on your computer’s track pad.
Change Your Reality: XR Readings, Resources, and More!
These books, DVDs, and equipment are part of the River Campus Libraries’ collections and are available to all UR students, staff, and faculty members. Visit the physical exhibits in Rush Rhees Library near the Lam Square Q&i desk as well as on the first floor of Carlson Library just outside of Studio X!
Haochen Zeng (’23) is an XR Specialist for Studio X. He is a current e5 student majoring in business analytics and computer science. He is a research assistant at the HCI lab, and the vice-president of the Outing Club. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, gaming, reading maps, and developing mobile apps and games. He’s current working on improving his skills in GeoGuessr.
Insta360 ONE (X3 & X2) is a pocket-sized, consumer-grade 360 steady cam. Record with this camera and edit your footage with the Insta360 editing software or with the Insta360 app.
These 360 cameras may be checked out and taken outside of the library. Please review our reservation and usage policies below.
Borrowers may check out 360 cameras for up to 3 days if available.
Last call for equipment is 30 minutes prior to Studio X’s closing.
Reservations that are not picked up on time (~2 hours) will be made available to other patrons.
Requests for more than two items of the same kind require approval from a Studio X staff member.
No more than three items may be checked out to one person at the same time.
Patrons are limited to booking equipment up to nine days a month.
Equipment may be booked up to 21 days in advance.
Equipment is available to currently enrolled UR students, faculty, and staff. Priority is given to borrowers using the equipment for course purposes.
Studio X does not provide disposable accessories such as batteries.
Renewing Reservations:
Renewals are not automatic. You must check with Studio X staff to extend reservations.
360 cameras may be renewed for up to an additional three days (if available).
Picking Up Equipment:
A valid UR ID is required to check out equipment and must be presented at time of checkout.
Equipment must be picked up by the individual who made the reservation.
Returning Equipment:
Equipment must be returned directly to Studio X.
Please do not attempt to sanitize equipment. Borrowers may inadvertently damage the equipment.
Late Fees & Fines
External Lending
$25.00/day for seven days
After seven days, the equipment is considered to be lost, and the replacement cost (item cost) is charged to the borrower’s account. Upon return, the replacement cost will be waived.
Internal Lending
$5.00/per hour until $25.00
After one day, the equipment is considered to be lost, and the replacement cost (item cost) is charged to the borrower’s account. Upon return, the replacement cost will be waived.
Fines and fees may be paid at the Carlson Q&i Desk using a credit card. Cash and checks are not accepted. Unpaid bills will be reported to the Bursar or other appropriate authority.
When fines accrue to $100, patrons will be unable to reserve equipment until the fines are resolved.
Insta360 One X2 Specifications
Image Sensor: 1/2.3″ 12MP
360 Video Resolution: 5.7K@30fps, 25fps, 24fps 4K@50fps, 30fps
Single-Lens Video Resolution:Single-Lens Capture: 1440p@50/30fps 1080p@50/30fps
Photo Resolution: 18MP (6080×3040)
Touchscreen: 1” circle
60fps Me Mode: No
Active HDR: No
Invisible Selfie Stick: Yes
Timelapse: 5.7k
Bullet Time: 3K@100fps
Battery: 1630mAh
Insta360 One X3 Specifications
Image Sensor: 1/2″ 48MP
360 Video Resolution: 5.7K@30fps, 25fps, 24fps 4K@60fps, 30fps
Single-Lens Video Resolution: 4K@30/25/24fps 3.6K@60/50/30/25/24fps 2.7K@60/50/30/25/24fps 1080p@60/50/30/25/24fps
Meta Quest 2 (previously known as Oculus Quest 2) is a wireless virtual reality (VR) headset created by Meta. Use this headset to engage in a variety of VR experiences from games, to movies, to trainings, and more.
Meta Quest 2 with controllers, power adapter and charging cable, and glasses spacer
Studio X lends headsets for use within Studio X as well as headsets that may be checked out and taken outside of the library. Please review our reservation and usage policies below.
Borrowers may check out headsets for use within Studio X for up to four hours and headsets for external use for up to three days if available.
Hourly equipment must remain in Studio X.
Last call for equipment is 30 minutes prior to Studio X’s closing.
Reservations that are not picked up on time (~two hours) will be made available to other patrons.
Requests for more than two items of the same kind require approval from a Studio X staff member.
No more than three items may be checked out to one person at the same time.
Patrons are limited to booking equipment up to nine days a month.
Equipment may be booked up to 21 days in advance.
Equipment is available to currently enrolled UR students, faculty, and staff. Priority is given to borrowers using the equipment for course purposes.
Studio X does not provide disposable accessories such as batteries.
Renewing Reservations:
Renewals are not automatic. You must check with Studio X staff to extend reservations.
External headsets may be renewed for up to an additional three days (if available).
Internal headsets may be renewed for up to another four hours or until closing time (if available).
Picking Up Equipment:
A valid UR ID is required to check out equipment and must be presented at time of checkout.
Equipment must be picked up by the individual who made the reservation.
Returning Equipment:
Equipment must be returned directly to Studio X.
Please do not attempt to sanitize equipment. Borrowers may inadvertently damage the equipment. Studio X staff will sanitize the equipment following this process before its next use.
Late Fees & Fines
External Lending
$25.00/day for seven days
After seven days, the equipment is considered to be lost, and the replacement cost (item cost) is charged to the borrower’s account. Upon return, the replacement cost will be waived.
Internal Lending
$5.00/per hour until $25.00
After one day, the equipment is considered to be lost, and the replacement cost (item cost) is charged to the borrower’s account. Upon return, the replacement cost will be waived.
Fines and fees may be paid at the Carlson Q&i Desk using a credit card. Cash and checks are not accepted. Unpaid bills will be reported to the Bursar or other appropriate authority.
When fines accrue to $100, patrons will be unable to reserve equipment until the fines are resolved.
Loss & Damages
If the equipment is lost, damaged, or stolen, the borrower is required to pay its replacement cost.
All pieces of the equipment must be returned and in the same condition as in which they were lent. Please check the equipment tag for full list.
Health & Safety
Prior to each reservation, Studio X sanitizes its equipment using a combination of UVC light technology, nanotechnology spray, and alcohol-based sanitizers. Read more about this process here.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of a cold, like a sore throat, coughing, or sinus issues, please do not use the equipment.
Wash your hands or use an alcohol-based disinfectant. Let your hands dry completely before using the equipment.
VR blocks the entire view of your real location.
Seated and stationary play is also an option, and the user should not be required to move beyond reaching with arms or leaning from the torso.
Oculus recommends the user have a 9ft x 9ft space with at least a 6.5 feet x 6.5 feet playable area free of obstructions.
Facebook collects a variety of data from its users. It uses this information for measurement, analytics, and other business services (including ads) and also shares this information with third party apps, developers, and other online content providers. This is some of the data they collect from Oculus users:
Physical features and measurements, including hand size during hand tracking
Voice, hand, body data
Interactions, browser history, app usage
Content you create such as your avatar, objects you sculpt, audio content
Environmental data such as the dimensions of your play area
You also give permission to appear in and with ads without compensation. Please review the Oculus data policy in full.
Meta Quest 2 Technical Specifications
Product Dimensions: 191.5 mm x 102 mm x 142.5 mm (strap folded in), 191.5 mm x102 mm x 295.5 mm (strap fully opened up)
Product Weight: 503g
Tracking: Supports 6 degrees of freedom head and hand tracking through integrated Oculus Insight technology.
Storage: 256GB
Display Panel: Fast-switch LCD
Display Resolution: 1832×1920 per eye
Display Refresh: 72Hz at launch; 90Hz support to come
SoC: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR2 Platform
Audio: Integrated speakers and microphone; also compatible with 3.5mm headphones.
RAM: 6GB
Battery Life: You can expect between 2-3 hours based on the kind of content you’re using on Quest 2; closer to 2 hours if you’re playing games and closer to 3 hours if you’re watching media. At any point, you can check the battery status of your headset in the Oculus App settings or in VR via Oculus Home.
Charge Time: With the provided USB-C power adapter, Quest 2 will charge to a full battery in about 2.5 hours.
IPD: Adjustable IPD with three settings for 58, 63 and 68mm.
Playspace: Stationary or Roomscale supported. Roomscale requires a minimum of 6.5feet x 6.5 feet of obstruction-free floor space.
Controllers:
Dimensions: 9 x 12cm (per controller, includes tracking ring)
Weight: 126g (per controller, no battery installed)
Requires 2AA batteries (included in the box; 1 for each controller)
Learn how to create your very own VR game in Unity, a real-time creation platform used to build games, XR experiences, visualizations, and more! Participants will learn the basics of setting up a player character, locomotion, interaction, and environmental design for VR projects.
Join Studio X, UR’s hub for immersive technologies, and learn more about the digitalworld of extended reality (XR). All levels welcome. No experience necessary!
Note: In order to participate, you will need to complete the pre-workshop instructions, which will be sent by email prior to the event. Need assistance with this process? Ask for help on the Studio X Discord (Quick Questions Channel).
Instructor: Liam O’Leary Where: Studio X, Carlson Library First Floor When: Tuesday, November 8th from 6 to 7:30pm Register: libcal.lib.rochester.edu/event/9662356
November 18 & 19, 2021 | Hybrid @MAGIC Spell Studios, RIT
The Frameless Symposium is an interdisciplinary symposium focused on research, innovation, and artistic creation in the fields of virtual and augmented reality. The Symposium Committee invites contributions from users and creators of immersive technologies and experiences involved in academia, non-profit and educational organizations, and industry.
Hosted at RIT’s Magic Spell Studios, we welcome both in-person and remote participation for presenters and attendees in the event this year. Please stay tuned to the symposium website for additional information and updates.
View the full call for participation and learn more about presentation formats, topic of interests, and deadlines rit.edu/framelesslabs/symposium-2021.
Like Pokémon Go or Angry Birds AR? Learn the basics of working with AR (augmented reality) in Unity, a real-time creation platform! Unity is the engine behind all kinds of experiences such as Pokémon Go, Beat Saber, and the new Lion King movie. We’ll discuss how AR apps track objects and images in the real world and show you step-by-step how to create your very own AR experience on a device.
Join Studio X, UR’s hub for immersive technologies, and learn more about the digitalworld of extended reality (XR). All levels welcome. No experience necessary!
Note: In order to participate, you will need to complete the following pre-workshop instructions. Need assistance with this process? Join us on the Studio X Discord.
Owing to its ability to immerse its user in a sensory real-life experience, immersive virtual reality (IVR) has been proposed in literature as a promising technology for medical empathy training by allowing its users to virtually “step into the patients’ shoes”. Given that perspective-taking is a core component of empathy, it is not surprising that VR experiences have been shown in literature to enhance empathy in its users by enabling them to embody another person in a virtual realistic environment.
This talk will provide an overview of a research project that was done to examine the role of IVR in teaching clinical empathy to medical students at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. In this research project, first-year medical students experience a user-focused VR scenario using the Embodied labs platform from a first-person perspective. A scenario that focuses on loneliness and social isolation in elderly patients and their effect on their health outcomes is used for this project. The IVR training focuses on key strategies of empathy and empathic communication that involve recognizing patients’ emotions, the importance of eliciting a shared understanding of the patient’s experiences and responding empathically to patients.
The talk will describe the VR software platform that was used and will share some of the students’ feedback on the training. Additionally, the talk will outline the role of VR in health professionals’ education in current the literature as well as provide a glimpse into the limitless possibilities afforded by XR/VR technologies in medical education and patient care.
Dr. Alieldin is a physician and a medical educator whose expertise lies in teaching and designing curricula for health professionals. She was involved in the educational reform process of her medical school by implementing new medical curricula, providing professional development opportunities to the medical faculty, and working with her school’s accreditation teams. She is currently an adjunct faculty at the Warner School of Education and enjoys teaching graduate students in the master’s in health professionals’ education degree program.
Dr. Alieldin obtained her master’s degree in health professionals’ education at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester in 2015 and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the same university. Her research focuses on the evaluation of the transfer and acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, or skills in medical education to produce physicians who are prepared to serve the fundamental purposes of medicine and patient care.
Dr. Alieldin is keen on providing relevant, meaningful, and interactive learning experiences to her students as she believes that providing a safe and efficient health care service to our community starts by building a sound educational system for its health professionals.
Where: Studio X & Zoom When: Friday, November 12th at 1pm
