XVR Expo to launch in the summer of 2021

XVR Expo to launch in the summer of 2021

XVR Expo started out as a pilot project called XVR 360, where the aim was to investigate, with the help from our users, how we could increase and expand the methods of delivering training scenarios and making them more accessible to larger groups of people. The result of this pilot project was XVR Expo, a training tool that can be used to prepare staff or students for upcoming exercises or trainings, as part of an organisation’s or school’s e-learning lesson material, or as refreshers over time to increase learning retention and prevent knowledge loss. Expo scenes can be used to educate large groups at the same time, for example in the classroom, but is also a highly efficient way of educating participants remotely, as Expo scenes can be completed anytime, anywhere. This way of facilitating self-led exercises is both time- and cost-effective, as well as being highly immersive and engaging for the participant.

XVR On Scene scenarios are used as the foundation for the Expo scenes, in which instructors can place points of interest, such as hotspots or viewpoints, for their training participants to explore. Just like in XVR 360, participants navigate the scene by jumping from viewpoint to viewpoint, which is either set as a static 360 degree image (from a virtual or real-life environment) or as a video which animates the surroundings in a continuous loop. Hotspots or viewpoints can be used to provide important information about the incident scene or prompt the participant to answer multiple-choice questions. Since Expo scenes can be self-led, we received requests to incorporate a way for instructors to be able to deliver brief, but essential feedback in the quiz format. Therefore, it is possible to provide a short elaboration for each answer option to expand on why this is correct, almost correct, or incorrect.

We conducted extensive research in collaboration with our XVR 360 pilot partners to establish the parameters which the follow-up product would need to live up to. In XVR Expo, we have increased the user-friendliness, scalability, and performance. We were also able to address the safety concerns regarding the use of private e-learning environments by some organisations and schools to distribute sensitive learning and operational material. Finally, we improved the graphics quality for a smoother and more immersive experience. XVR Expo has been developed to be an integrated part of the entire XVR Simulation platform, so it is included in Control Centre and integrated into XVR On Scene. XVR Expo will initially be hosted by XVR Simulation, but in time it can be hosted entirely on your organisation’s own cloud or servers.

Current XVR 360 users were recently invited to attend a webinar introducing the new features and improvements of XVR Expo, and initial feedback has been very positive. Users are keen to get started and are excited about the possibilities XVR Expo will bring them to expand their training reach and educate their staff in a more engaging way. All current XVR 360 users have been given early access to build XVR Expo scenes to continue their training efforts seamlessly once the product is officially launched this summer.