Athens, Ohio, Might 1, 2025 – Ohio College, HTC VIVE, and Virtualware have partnered to launch a brand new program known as the Digital Enterprise Collaboratory (DEC), which is able to present infrastructure to energy new digital engineering and workforce growth packages to assist the rising demand for superior manufacturing in Ohio.
The partnership combines Ohio College’s management in engineering schooling, HTC VIVE’s industry-leading XR {hardware} and software program applied sciences, and Virtualware’s enterprise XR platform VIROO. The undertaking will present Ohio College with the expertise infrastructure and capabilities wanted to speed up product growth, analysis, and workforce growth by enabling real-time collaboration between disparate college, {industry}, authorities, and Division of Air Drive Analysis Laboratories (AFRL) members utilizing the newest digital engineering & immersive applied sciences.
This system can even broaden Ohio College’s current manufacturing coaching and certification packages to assist the rising demand for brand new manufacturing facility staff.
“This program represents a daring step ahead in immersive digital engineering,” stated Scott Miller, affiliate dean for Trade Partnerships at Ohio College’s Russ Faculty of Engineering and Know-how. “By integrating XR expertise into our instructional and analysis packages, we’re getting ready the following technology of engineers to assume spatially, act collaboratively, and resolve real-world issues. Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest {industry} sector that’s contributing 17.5% of the state’s GDP and we have to put together our native workforce for the brand new jobs in superior manufacturing.”
“HTC VIVE is proud to be a part of this initiative that places immersive expertise on the coronary heart of innovation and schooling,” stated Daniel O’Brien, President Americas at HTC VIVE. “With these new labs, Ohio College is positioning itself as a pacesetter in Trade 4.0.”
John Cunningham, President of Virtualware USA provides “The state of Ohio is dwelling to many producers and can quickly be dwelling to new superior expertise factories being constructed by Intel and Anduril, who want an estimated 7,000 new staff. Ohio College has been requested by the State and manufacturing firms to search out methods to assist speed up product growth utilizing digital engineering strategies and to develop workforce growth initiatives utilizing the newest applied sciences. Our VIROO platform built-in with HTC’s XR options gives Ohio College with infrastructure that can be utilized for a lot of totally different functions and years to return.”
Ohio College faces a key problem, enabling engineers, researchers, and finish customers to collaborate in actual time and in 3D throughout its geographically separated campuses. Athens and Dayton, positioned two and a half hours aside by automobile, at present require bodily journey for collaboration. Whereas many finish customers, such because the U.S. Air Drive and Intel, are primarily based in Dayton, a lot of the College’s analysis takes place in Athens. The implementation of the DEC is ready to bridge that hole, serving to speed up analysis and product growth.
The DEC infrastructure consists of two new laboratories positioned on the Athens Campus and on the OHIO facility in Dayton, positioned throughout the Digital Transformation Heart (DTC). These labs are linked by way of the VIROO Enterprise XR platform and are geared up with digital actuality tools and software program instruments. Customers can collaborate, share tasks, product prototypes, and even create digital twins in actual time, both from throughout the labs or from distant desktops, lecture rooms, or properties. The College of Dayton Analysis Institute (UDRI) operates the DTC and has partnered with Ohio College to develop and launch the DEC’s Dayton location, furthering the DTC’s mission as a collaborative innovation hub that drives innovation, fuels workforce growth, and fosters cross-sector collaboration amongst academia, {industry}, and authorities.
The DEC will formally open on Might 5 on the Athens Campus and on Might 7 in Dayton. The Dayton DEC opening can be a part of the night occasion hosted on the DTC through the Dayton Digital Transformation Summit, a regional occasion targeted on innovation and expertise in manufacturing and workforce growth.
