Virtual Explorer Available at No Cost to Schools

  • 11/01/99

The Senses Bureau, a research group at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), has announced that the Virtual Explorer is available at no cost to schools. Virtual Explorer is an interactive simulation of a voyage through the human immune system. The science-based virtual reality adventure enhances learning about highly complex disease-fighting mechanisms.

Viewers pilot a microscopic "nanobot" ship through his or her own blood stream and lymph system. After selecting which cellular character to play, they perform functions such as cellular navigation, white blood cell recognition and molecular docking, all within computer animation with four-channel spatialized sound.

At UCSD, the virtual environment is powered by a four-processor SGI Onyx supercomputer system. Any SGI computer, ranging from the Onyx to the O2 can also drive the adventure. Additionally, the Senses Bureau hopes to port Virtual Explorer to the Windows NT platform. Virtual Explorer is also available on an "open source" licensing basis for those who wish to develop other educational applications or to extend the currently available adventure. The Senses Bureau, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, (619) 822-0162, www.wilson.ucsd.edu/ve/.

Featured

  • cloud icon with a padlock overlay set against a digital background featuring binary code and network nodes

    Cloud Security Auditing Tool Uses AI to Validate Providers' Security Assessments

    The Cloud Security Alliance has unveiled a new artificial intelligence-powered system that automates the validation of cloud service providers' (CSPs) security assessments, aiming to improve transparency and trust across the cloud computing landscape.

  • robot brain with various technology and business icons

    Google Cloud Study: Early Agentic AI Adopters See Better ROI

    Google Cloud has released its second annual ROI of AI study, finding that 52% of enterprise organizations now deploy AI agents in production environments. The comprehensive survey of 3,466 senior leaders across 24 countries highlights the emergence of a distinct group of "agentic AI early adopters" who are achieving measurably higher returns on their AI investments.

  • laptop with a neural network image, surrounded by books, notebooks, a magnifying glass, a pencil cup, and a desk lamp

    D2L Updates Lumi with Personalized Study Supports

    Learning platform D2L has introduced new artificial intelligence features for D2L Lumi that help provide more personalized study supports for students.

  • cloud with binary code and technology imagery

    Hybrid and AI Expansion Outpacing Cloud Security

    A survey from the Cloud Security Alliance and Tenable finds that rapid adoption of hybrid, multi-cloud and AI systems is outpacing the security measures meant to protect them, leaving organizations exposed to preventable breaches and identity-related risks.