The TAU XR Center at the Sourasky Central Library
The Center was founded in early 2022 and is located in a dedicated space at the Sourasky Central Library. It is led by Prof. Tom Schonberg from the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics at the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Dr. Naama Schetelowitz, the director of the library.
Alongside the research importance, the center has an experiential pedagogical role. Virtual reality enables in-depth interactions that can enhance teaching, learning and enjoyment through digital environments such as game-building technologies, digital or responsive environments. For all disciplines, we can build new and imagined worlds that delve deeper into understanding the neural basis for human decision-making processes.
Constructing more realistic environments allows for full and monitored functioning, which goes beyond the scope of a traditional laboratory experiment. With the help of the center and the use of virtual reality, it is possible to examine human processing and reactions in a safe environment.
The pedagogic activities during the 2nd Semester of the 2021/22 Academic Year included the course “Virtual Architecture”, directed by architect Daniel Wachtel and the University's Dean of Innovation in Teaching and Learning. The students experienced three-dimensional drawing, using the Oculus Quest 2 VR Glasses kit and the Tilt Brush Application. The students created three-dimensional architectural models using the Rhino Application and designed them using the Twinmotion Application. They could stroll through the models they have created and augment them accordingly.
For more, see the Center Site.
