/ Interactive Media Lab / IML Use Cases
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How can I use the Interactive Media Lab?

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The IML is your go-to resource for crafting social media content, producing short films, and designing, prototyping innovative products and more.

Professor Dan Cuffaro is reviewing a design with a student on his laptop. The laptop is sitting on top of a quick prototype machine as they are preparing to print.
A motorcycle is on a platform in front of an XR screen. A driving scene is being filmed.
Support the IML Facilities + Labs Fabrication Studios

Virtual Production + Extended Reality (XR)

Extended Reality, or XR, is a broad term that covers augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). Our Virtual Production studio will be able to create virtual environments that can interact with real people and physical sets. Virtual Production has so many various use cases. Explore some below.

Filmmaking has come a long way with the help of VR, AR, and tracking tools. Virtual Production is quickly becoming the go-to method for shooting scenes that used to require a green screen. One of the biggest benefits of this technology is that it allows for more creative experimentation, helping filmmakers capture the perfect shot.

Explore how the Mandalorian uses Virtual XR Production

Virtual and live corporate events just became more memorable. Using Virtual Production and XR to include interactive elements and high-quality visuals creates an impactful event. A great example are recent Apple product launches, which combine practical and virtual production with various extended reality techniques to create a truly engaging experience.

XR can also revolutionize social media content creation. Brands can generate impactful social media content by combining live footage with virtual elements.

A student is wearing a virtual reality headset and using handhelds. They are in a classroom with peers. The peers are observing them and seeing what they see on the screen behind them.

Virtual Reality

VR, or virtual reality, creates a completely digital world you can explore and interact with. It’s usually experienced through headsets and controllers, like the Meta Quest. Check out some ways people are using VR!

The cost barrier of physical prototypes might be a thing of the past. With VR, designers can create and test prototypes in a virtual space, allowing for rapid iteration and feedback without the cost.

See how crucial VR is to Product Design

VR is becoming a breakthrough therapy in the mental health space. Companies and therapists are using VR for exposure therapy, allowing patients to confront fears or anxieties in a safe, controlled setting.

Explore more about VR Therapy

Retailers can create virtual showrooms where customers can explore products in 3D and try them out before making a purchase.

Explore an example of a virtual showroom

VR is changing how we experience art by bringing famous works to life in new and exciting ways. This technology lets you see every detail up close, explore from different angles, and feel closer to the artist’s vision. With VR, art becomes a place you can step into and explore, making it more accessible than ever.

Explore the Claude Monet VR experience

Explore The Night Cafe: A VR Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh

An example of augmented reality. A person is using a tablet to visualize what furniture will look like in a room. On the tablet is a couch and coffee table.

Augmented Reality

AR, or augmented reality, brings digital elements into the real world. Imagine the heads-up display in Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit—that’s AR in action in the Avengers universe. Check out some real-world examples below!

Companies can use AR to safely practice real-world scenarios without any risks. This is especially useful in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and emergency response, where safety is a top priority.

Explore how First Responders are using AR

Real estate and architecture companies can use AR to create immersive virtual property tours. It’s also a great tool for homeowners and renters to visualize and perfect their room layouts before making changes.

Explore how architects are using AR

Brands can use AR to create interactive ads and experiences that let customers engage with their products in exciting ways—like exploring data visually, taking virtual tours, or bringing animated mascots to life. Even seeing how furniture can fit into your house before buying. 

Explore how IKEA uses AR in their mobile app

AR in gaming brings virtual worlds into your physical space, like Pokémon Go. The game lets players explore real-world locations to catch and battle Pokémon. AR transforms everyday places like parks, libraries, and city streets into interactive gaming arenas.

This innovation gets you moving, exploring, and feeling more connected to the world around you, making games more exciting and real than ever before.

Rapid Prototyping

Rapid prototyping is the fast creation of a physical model or prototype from a design. Using tools like 3D printing, it lets companies test ideas quickly, catch any flaws early, and improve their products faster. They can test new products or packaging before sending anything to final production.

Explore how this helps Product Design

Motion Capture

Motion Capture technology tracks and records a subject's body movements. It helps make movies, video games and virtual reality experiences even more realistic and improves the efficiency of the animation process.

Artifact Preservation

Museums and cultural institutions capture artifacts and exhibits in 3D using photogrammetry or 3D scanning, creating digital archives that preserve history and make artifacts accessible to a wider audience.

Real Estate Visualization

Real estate agents can use 360 cameras to create visualizations, providing potential buyers with immersive virtual tours that highlight features and layouts.

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