Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 22 February 2018
Virtual-reality field trips give students advanced adventure

By DEEPTI HAJELA and CAR- that you would get if you
OLYN THOMPSON were doing the actual ac-
NEW YORK (AP) — On a Feb- tivity,” Lamb said. “Heart
ruary afternoon in a Brook- rate, cognition, breathing,
lyn classroom, 16-year-old everything.”
Taylor Engler came face to The effect on learning, he
face with a cow. But it was said, is to improve interest,
all in her head. understanding and recall.
A virtual reality headset It’s unknown how many
had transported the Berke- classrooms have or will
ley Carroll School junior adopt the technology, but
and eight classmates to an experts say it’s still relatively
upstate New York farm 250 rare. While individual head-
miles (402 kilometers) away. sets that require a user’s
For students, the technol- phone can cost as little
ogy means field trips are no as $20 or $30, systems and
longer limited by the length software for classes run into
of a bus ride. the thousands of dollars.
"I was not expecting it to be Early complaints about a
right in my face!" Taylor said lack of good software are
after peeling off the purple fading as more companies
headset and finding herself enter the market, but the
back in the confines of her rules for use haven’t nec-
city classroom. In this Feb. 7, 2018 photo, students at the Berkeley Carroll School in the Brooklyn borough of New essarily caught up to the
On any given day, students York use virtual reality headsets in their classroom. Experts say the technology is still relatively rare technology.
in schools, but they expect that to change as costs come down and content improves. Seated at
nationwide are deep-sea the table from left are Daniel Cornicello, 17, Charlie Hertz, 17, and Taylor Engler, 16. At the table in In New York, for example,
diving, observing medical the back of the room is Angela Aguero, 17. simulated lab experiments
operations, even swimming Associated Press don’t count toward the
through the human circula- state’s hands-on lab time
tory system using gadgets zSpace to dissect cells and saw. It was an "outing" that ence Lab studies how the requirements.
that are becoming increas- has walked goggled stu- otherwise would not have brain processes informa- Even so, experts say, the sci-
ingly accessible in both dents through the boreal happened, adviser Lily tion. In the lab, the physi- ences are an area where
cost and content. forest with a Google app Adler said, given the con- cal effects of virtual reality virtual reality, especially
At the least, teachers say, called Expeditions. straints of time and staffing. become clear as subjects enhanced to let users ma-
it's another way to engage "It's something that can be "It's different than watching standing on solid ground nipulate their surroundings,
the iPhone generation of done in a period or two," video because you can teeter on stories-high virtual holds particular promise for
students. At best, it can en- he said, "when it could take have more than one per- scaffolding or experience classrooms.
hance their understanding even a week sometimes spective; you can actually motion sickness without “The biggest hindrance,
and improve their grades. when you're doing a lab." move," Taylor said during moving. I think, is going to be the
"It instantly grabs the stu- In Brooklyn, Engler and the lesson by animal rights “Some of the research quality of that experience,
dents," said Colin Jones, classmates virtually walked group Farm Sanctuary. we’re doing has actually how closely it mimics the
who teaches science in the through barns and fields Not only move, but also shown that what you expe- physical world,” said Da-
Plainview-Old Bethpage in Watkins Glen, stretching feel, said Richard Lamb, rience in virtual reality has vid Evans, executive direc-
Central School District. He arms toward videotaped who at the University at very similar, if not the same, tor of the National Science
has used a system called pigs and cows only they Buffalo Neurocognition Sci- physiological responses Teachers Association. q

Google's digital assistant

branches out to Nest camera

of the Nest Cam IQ in a spurred warnings from pri- rity camera. The assistant is
free update rolling out vacy watchdogs about the only supposed to be acti-
Wednesday. The move potential for internet-con- vated with keywords such
comes just two weeks after nected devices being used as "OK, Google," although
Nest moved back under as surveillance tools. there have been instances
Google's direct control af- Google's assistant already when the Home speaker
ter spending nearly 2 1/2 can be used to control has been caught listen-
This July 25, 2017, file frame grab from video shows the Nest
Cam IQ camera. Google’s voice-activated assistant is branch- years as a separate com- Nest's cameras and inter- ing when it was supposed
ing out to Nest’s deluxe security camera. pany owned by the same net-connected thermostat to be turned off. Even if
Associated Press parent, Alphabet Inc. through its internet-con- Google’s assistant doesn’t
The $300 Nest Cam will give nected speaker, Home, eavesdrop, its presence
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE that may amplify the pri- Google another potentially and smartphones running on an indoor security cam-
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — vacy concerns surrounding valuable earhole in its bat- on its Android software. era is likely to focus more
Google's voice-activated internet-connected micro- tle with Amazon and Apple This will be the first time attention on the handling
assistant is branching out phones. to build digital command that people will be able and protection of the data
to Nest's deluxe security The virtual assistant is be- centers in people's home. to interact with the digital collected through internet-
camera in an expansion ing offered to owners That ambition has already concierge through a secu- connected devices. q