eXtended Reality Centre (XRC)
The Charles Sturt University eXtended Reality Centre (XRC) is a large-scale initiative that enables next-generation research from interdisciplinary fields and industry collaboration, using future-focused immersive technology for the public good. The XRC is distinctive in that it threads research and creative practice into infrastructure projects which intersect across multiple disciplines and industries.
Summary
The XRC focuses on advancing practical simulations which model real-world situations, applications with significant cost and efficiency benefits inspiring research excellence, and driving regional outcomes with global impact in the areas of Agriculture, Water & Environment, Cybersecurity & IT, Health and Creativity.
What is Extended Reality?
Extended Reality is immersive technology encompassing;
- Augmented Reality (objects and information are overlaid in the real world)
- Virtual Reality (users are immersed in a simulated digital environment)
- Mixed Reality (where digital and real-world objects exist). These technologies help us blend virtual and real worlds
Extended Reality is constantly evolving and embraces multi-sensory experiences that are at the frontier of modern research, innovation and invention
The benefits of Extended Reality
Some examples include:
- create an immersive experience with face to face connections
- enable remote collaboration for visual data in real time
- safe training spaces and remote coaching.
Our XRC Vision
The eXtended Reality Centre (XRC) is the applied research of creative immersive technologies enhancing the human experience beyond the physical world. Our vision is to empower everyone with the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in real and imaginary worlds worth living in.
Yindyamarra winhanganha is our purpose and guiding principle driving the vision. We strive to make a difference from our courses and student experience, research and industry partnerships, community engagement, social responsibility, and sustainability initiatives. We empower the leaders of tomorrow through innovative education and applied research, and we have a solid commitment to learning from and working with Australia's First Nations people.
The XRC is aligned with the University Strategy 2030 and will build internal capacity in the rapidly emerging field of interconnected physical and virtual technologies to become an integral part of Charles Sturts advanced operations leading innovation and entrepreneurship. Through the XRC, immersive technologies can be applied across all industries and develop projects that are smarter, faster, cheaper and safer.
Strategic Priorities
The XRC provides facilitation of core research knowledge, leading to larger research and commercialisation impacts, expertise and technologies. It builds upon 20-years of Animation & Visual Effects applied research in immersive real-time 3D technologies. Our collaborative capacity, extensive national and international expertise is recognised and highly placed to enable and lead transdisciplinary, and industry engaged research in line with government and university strategic visions. We have successful award-winning alumni with professional links with over 80 Australian creative studios and their international partners. The XRC can be the next evolution of creative transdisciplinary innovation.
The Creative Advantage
The XRC fuses the art and science of knowledge-led creative endeavour to grow our reputation for excellence in quality education, impactful research and social responsibility. We will continue to be an innovator in the sector including the use of digital technology in our education and solving the research problems that matter. The XRC will generate revenue by providing services that advance research and education.
Support for Research Industry Collaboration
The XRC can provide the academic framework, individual researchers and collaborative commercialisation opportunities with External Engagement and Business development staff that can help engage industry in the program.
XRC - Meet the Founders
As Founders of the XRC, it has been important to have applied research at its core and focus on real-world outcomes, leveraging existing relationships with industry, government, community and internal Charles Sturt stakeholders. As a 'Collective' the XRC has a range of cross-discipline research associates and adjunct appointments, including research study.
Find out more about the people involved in the XRC through Charles Sturt University Research Output (CRO)
Look up XRC
To get involved with the eXtended Reality Centre, reach out to us at xrc@csu.edu.au. Lets start the conversations.
Research Study
The XRC is involved in many research students projects across the Faculties, meet some of the research students connected with the XRC - below.
Find out more about research - contact us at xrc@csu.edu.au
Bernard Higgins
Bernard Higgin's honours research project is working with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities in far north Queensland to co-design an educational animation for the community on how to manage their horses health care if a case of Hendra virus occurs in their community. Bernard is aiming to create a framework that merges the Creative Industries with scientific research and information to assist multidisciplinary teams in creating tangible outcomes for communities.
Ché Baker
Ché Baker's PhD research focuses on "Innovation in creative Industries: storytellers response to the evolving landscape”
Australian screen storytellers have always used innovation in response to the changing socio-economic landscape. Ché is looking at the response of filmmakers to the global pandemic, and the cause and effect nature of narrative and methodological innovation in that response.
Muqeem Khan
Muqeem Khan's PhD research is currently examining the link between the use of emerging interactive technologies and the protection of traditional knowledge from indigenous communities to facilitate the enactment, sustainability and transformation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) for future generations.
Marie-Christine Sweeney
Marie-Christine's PhD research focuses on the storytelling roles of the children’s television writer for the millennial generation. Rapid changes to the media landscape has seen a shift of control to new global players, and the children’s audience themselves, who, enabled by technology are reshaping the media landscape. Her research question is an examination of writers and the evolution, if any, of their literary and cultural storytelling craft for children, specifically in an Australian context.
Rafael De Lima
Rafael De Lima's PhD research focus is a reimagining of the collaborative processes in the creation of films, visual effects and multimedia works. Making use of new media technology, He explores a performative, collective and more inclusive approach to collaborations in filmmaking production – which he calls the nodal process. His research's goal is to propose a level-playing ground between those who own current technological means and expertise in visual production/reproduction and subjects who also have ownership over the cultural artefacts and stories being translated into films and immersive experiences.
Tracey Callinan
Tracey Callinan’s research has focused on place-specific approaches to policy development in the cultural and creative industries. By understanding the range of interventions that can be applied to support this sector, those living in regional and rural settings can identify approaches that fit their own context. She also works across areas of arts and health in her role at Arts OutWest and is working on ways of enabling interactive online delivery of arts experiences to regional and rural aged care services and hospitals.
News and Events
Keep up to date as the XRC gains traction
Leading online technology brings new experiences
STEM 2021 - NSW Government
XRC Panel at Artstate: Keeping Arts and Culture Alive...
STEM 2020