Impact case study database

1. Practitioners, Commerce and the Economy:

WEKIT ECS has recently (S1) been accepted as one of 10 Qualified Teams, from 118 teams from 20 countries, in the $5M XPRIZE Rapid Re-skilling Competition. The team will develop a Neuro-Adaptive Mixed Reality Training platform (REAP) to place 350 participants into full-time jobs, re-skilling solutions for individuals most vulnerable to employment loss in the United States.

ALTEC SpA [2] – through the WEKIT project, LTRC developed a wearable sensor for astronaut trainees, enabling measurement of the affective state of the learner including stress but also concentration. Real-time measurement of the affective state enabled a redesign of instruction sets to overcome the challenge faced by users. “ LTRC’s contribution was significant for the development of the concept, hardware and software, and the integration of sensors, allowing content to be analysed and processes improved.” (S2)

DoubleMe – established in 2014, DoubleMe first collaborated with LTRC in 2016, resulting in production of a one-of-a-kind HoloPortal (S3), laying the foundation for a $500K Venture Capitalist investment for 8% of the company. The relationship with LTRC allowed DoubleMe to develop products for UK and overseas markets and to enter new markets, such as a HoloDash for cars, a technology that was shared with Kia, Audi and Ferrari. DoubleMe now employs 43 people and sees revenues of $3m per annum, up from $250k when the company first engaged with LTRC. Collaborative development of the HoloPortal have allowed the company to engage major Telco companies, including BT, Vodafone and O2. “ I can honestly say that our company growth is based on our interactions, knowledge sharing and product development with LTRC.” (DoubleMe CEO)

Medical Realities – LTRC research has facilitated development of the world’s first end-to-end immersive platform for the healthcare industry (S4), with Medical Realities employing 360-degree video, MR/VR/AR and hologram systems designed by LTRC to trial immersive training for medical students/professionals and, indeed, patient consultations, with acceptance of such methods driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. Development of the system has involved a partnership of universities (including RUL), healthcare companies (Roche), ICT providers (Samsung), and medical institutions (Barts Hospital).

1. Understanding, Learning and Participation:

LTRC’s research has influenced the design of inclusive educational methods for a global audience. Improved social welfare through enhanced employment/education opportunities and a reduced gap in academic attainment for ‘marginalised’ students is evidenced by:

AR-FOR-EU (CodeReality) – a £300k Erasmus+ project ( 2017 to 2020), AR-FOR-EU brought together five internationally-renowned institutions to validate a course offering for teaching AR in HEIs.

The Project Lead states (S5), “ The AR-FOR-EU impact is strongest at the global level, while also providing benefits to society and the economy on local, regional and national levels. The project has produced results that became self-sustaining and are likely to develop further.”

Hobs Academy – a 2018 collaboration between Hobs 3D at Stratford and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC, established to develop the Olympic Park site) had a focus on tackling social integration and working with the surrounding communities (S6). LTRC won a competitive tender to design and deliver the training contract for the £470k LLDC-funded Hobs Academy, with targets for the two-year programme being to train 120 students by March 2022. By the end of December 2020, 61 students had been through the programme, with over 50% having gone on to access work placements or full-time employment. An offer from international construction company, Mace, to provide work placements directly for three students and a further ten within its supply chain was also received. Head of Socio-Economic Regeneration at LLDC comments, “ *This is testimony from a significant company on the value and, indeed, uniqueness of this training, and the skills it gives participants. I know that students hold the course in high regard, it builds skillsets and competencies, and students are more positive about future employment opportunities.*”

mEQUITY and mRidge – international reach is evidenced through collaboration between LTRC and the Universities of Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and Jordan, from which two ERASMUS+ projects were progressed. mEQUITY (S7) saw the development of an inclusive curriculum in engineering education based on digital learning resources for mobile devices. The project aimed to improve education provision to high-risk groups whose special needs or socioeconomic status restricted their access to adequate education. Beneficiaries of separate strands of the project included Gaza Camp students suffering from socioeconomic isolation (x38), recent graduates of Jordan University of Science and Technology who were seeing continued unemployment (x7). Influence on Public Policy and Standards

LTRC research has had a significant influence on public policy and the development of professional standards in the following ways:

• Development of IEEE 1589-2020 – Smith and Rasool’s research, through work with WEKIT, was instrumental in the development of the IEEE Standard for Augmented Reality Learning Experience Model (S9), approved in January 2020 under the AR-LEM (Augmented Reality Learning Experience Model) working group.

• The EU’s primary route for dissemination ‘CORDIS’ states (S10), “Cr-EAM project recommendations will contribute to current and future EU policy initiatives that aim to strengthen and support the European creative industries. Cr-EAM has made an important contribution through its comprehensive online communities that will continue to encourage and stimulate direct engagement and cooperation between ICT solution providers and creative sector stakeholders."