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The 3D Cave in question, Source: Valmiera Municipality

Valmiera Technical School demonstrated a 3D virtual cave

Valmiera Technical School demonstrated a 3D virtual cave

The cutting-edge technology was purchased with funds from the ERDF

At the end of March, the European Digital Week event took place in Latvia and as part of it, one of the most advanced tech education institutions in Eastern Europe organized an interesting demonstration. The Valmiera Technical School held an online demo lesson that showcased the so-called 3D virtual cave that had been installed at its premises.

More people got to find out what a 3D virtual cave is

To many people who are not intimately aware of the rapid progress in digital technology, the term 3D (virtual reality (VR)) cave might sound strange, distant and unfamiliar. Curiously enough the word ‘cave’ itself is an acronym for Cave Automatic Virtual Environment.

At a first look, it may not seem like much for it is basically a three-walled room. Its applications, however, are numerous. It allows implementing spatial training and real-size visualizations. All of its surfaces can be used as projection screens that would allow a user who is inside the room and wearing VR goggles to feel fully immersed in the digital reality that is being recreated there.

3D cave users usually wear such goggles and interact with their digital surroundings with the help of wants, data gloves or other input devices. The Valmiera municipal website reported that its applications can be numerous in fields, such as mechatronics, metalworking, logistics and computer programming.

Having the chance to create a 3D model gives students and specialists the opportunity to test it and understand its functionality and possible shortcomings.

"Entrepreneurs, in turn, can come to a 3D virtual cave to test their product ideas before developing prototypes, saving time and money in filling gaps. Also, if the architect has drawn the building, we can project it, walk around it and see what it looks like from the inside,” explained Jānis Riba, a vocational education teacher at Valmiera Technical College. 

The school is one of the best equipped not only in Latvia but in all of Eastern Europe. The 3D cave was made possible through funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of ‘Europe’s next-generation small town’ project.

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