VR training app for astronauts
This is an exercise for the Udacity Nanodegree called Which industry is for you? In this exercise i'll choose and industry that i would love to innovate and impact with VR.
Concept
A VR app intended to train future astronauts in many fields: survival training, medical procedures, foreign language, electrical engineering, advanced physics, astronomy, psychology, chemistry and flight simulator. Additional fields that are different of the astronaut qualifications can be added, so all the members have their speciality and a reasonable knowledge of other areas that can help in their survival. Also with a very realistic approach this app could replace the real tests and decrease the costs of training, making possible invest the money in research and equipaments.
Persona
Taylor Jones is an US 48 year old Ph.D. Physics teacher having the 2 years training to be an astronaut. Since the earlier days in primary school he wants to be an astronaut and studied all the life to have this chance. He is very excited to be in the training and repeats a lot "this is my dream and i'll study a lot to be the best and help in the humanity evolution." Taylor Jones have just a little experience in VR.
Questions
How accessible would each VR platform be to your target student in terms of price? Take into account location, age, and income.
Any VR platform is accessible to spacial programs.
How interactive does your lesson need to be? For example, do I need to pick things up or could I get away with just looking at objects?
It's really important have all the interactive technologies in this app, because the training must be very real. Haptics and body sensors are a must.
How realistic do your visuals need to be in order to teach? For example, could I use 2D images and videos in a 3D Environment or do you need high poly 3D models.
A realistic experience is important, because most of the astronauts are not young geeks. Also some fields have very detailed materials/textures and some trainings require very delicate input to replace a real one.
Does my student need to feel like a participant in the experience or can they be a passive viewer? Could they be both?
The student must be a active participant of the experience.
Given the answers above, what are potential platforms you could use for your experience?
Any high-end VR with all the available technologies of sensors that can improve the immersion and the haptic experience. Also, in the research and development for this app the VR industry could be impacted with new or better devices.
