The second floor of MSU’s main library is turning into a technological treasure.
Traditional books that once filled an 8,000 square foot space are now gone to make way for a state-of-the-art digital lab that according to MSU social media and marketing coordinator Katie Diamond, will take students to a whole new level of learning.
“The technology that this space will offer is going to enable us to do things that we haven’t been able to do before that are going to be crucial for the future.”
The digital lab will be separated into three pieces.
The first is a virtual reality suite that’ll allow students to wear virtual reality headsets and get immersed into a scene not normally available – like learning about Rome from inside the coliseum.
Assistant director for public services Terri Miller says students in every major will benefit, and faculty can’t wait to start.
“Our social work people are really excited to use this for behavioral therapy for exposing people to things that are not real, but allows them to feel like it’s real.”
Then, an amazing 360-degree visualization lab will also take shape, sending classrooms of students to a scene that will either educate or help them create like never before.
“20 students at a time into a room together and they will be able to experience something all around them, floor to ceiling,” says Miller. “Visually you can create content with 360-degree cameras, there’s gaming applications so students who are creating games can create those games in 360-degree formats.”
A workshop will go in the middle offering 3D scanners, 3D printers, map scanning, and a whole host of ways students can build products based off what the two visual labs provide.
The goal is to make this a reality by early next year.
“It’s pretty aggressive considering what it looks like right now,” says Miller, “but I think we are on a good pace to probably get this in by January.”