Nextech AR Solutions Corp. (CSE:NTAR, OTCQB:NEXCF, NEO:NTAR) announced that Ryerson University, a globally recognized leader in higher education with over 46,000 students, has ordered an additional 35 augmented reality labs for its biology, chemistry, and biochemistry departments.
The company said that once the additional labs are complete, which is expected this year, the university’s Faculty of Science will have one of the largest known AR-immersive learning programs in the world.
Nextech also said the new labs are in addition to the 50 labs developed for the 2020/2021 school year. And additional AR labs produced through the RALE AR Lab Builder Program, a Government of Ontario Initiative, in partnership with Ryerson University and the company, will be available province-wide to other institutes of higher education in 2022.
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The use of AR for education institutions is made available through the company’s EdTechX platform. Built on Microsoft Azure and available on the Azure marketplace as a “Co-sell Ready” partner, EdTechX enables educational institutions to transform traditional learning and event formats into valuable, immersive digital experiences that higher education students are seeking.
EdTechX combines digital branded spaces with enterprise-scale video streaming, augmented reality holograms, and real-time data analytics. “Co-sell” status enables joint selling opportunities with Microsoft and access to their global education customers.
The key benefits of the AR labs:
- New functionality includes mistake-driven learning modules allowing students to make mistakes in simulation and get real-time feedback before performing the actual lab;
- Non-linear experiences allow students to explore in the AR labs based on their own exploration, such as rat or flower dissections.
- Creation of new ‘modular-like’ labs explaining common laboratory techniques that are cross-functional in chemical and biochemical analyses;
- Interactive learning allows students to form memories based on emotional impact. The actual AR seeks to trigger the feeling of the presence of the lab/experience so that students are more engaged;
- Allows users to repeat the experiment at their own convenience, which is a key function when learning new concepts. This is also a cost-efficient solution for higher education institutions that reduces the waste of resources; and
- Allows for visual communication of complicated chemical analyses equipment. It gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the machines actually work, allowing students to learn the abstract theory superimposed on top of the equipment visually.
Nextech also noted that the AR Labs have been developed in tandem with instructors and industry experts to ensure that the content is driven in both an academic and professional capacity.
“We are thrilled to see the hard work we have done in creating AR labs for students in partnership with Ryerson result in such a hugely positive response from both students and faculty,” said Nextech CEO Evan Gappelberg. “We have developed not just an immersive AR learning platform but also a unique business model for Nextech with a credit system, where one credit is equivalent to one AR lab which costs $5,000 each.”
Gappelberg added: “Once the AR labs are created along with the AR Lab Builder Program, through a Government of Ontario Initiative in Partnership with Ryerson University and NexTech, all AR labs built will be available province-wide to institutions of higher education in 2022. We are extremely excited and gratified to be working with both Ryerson and the government to bring immersive learning experiences to Canadian students.''
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