makeSEA for Education provides a safe, secure environment for students to collaborate and iterate on 3D designs and projects. Our SaaS platform also offers a way to get started with Augmented Reality, converting your files automatically for use in the 3D visualization space.

Augmented Reality, visual reality, mixed reality, spatial computing, and now XR—whatever term you use to define the new technologies, it’s no secret they are changing the way students learn and interact in the classroom. Nowhere is this as evident as at the advanced technical or college level where disciplines including Architecture, Health Sciences, Engineering, and Additive Manufacturing, are incorporating the new tech into their curriculums. If the curriculum also includes 3D design and printing, students are prepped to face the job market confidently.

What I’m pointing out below is an over-simplified list of what today’s students will contend with in the future. If 3D design/printing and Augmented Reality aren’t already a part of a curriculum, they will be soon enough.

Let’s start with Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC). In the past an architect or engineer has been mired in paper-based  processes to bring the project stakeholders to the right decisions. With the introduction of 3D printing and AR visualization, students are being prepped to present clients with a 3D printed model of the project and then with the use of AR, walk the client through the future space so everyone gets a stake in refining the build.

Complex projects, such as a hospital or sports complex, are already benefiting from advanced design and visualization as clients engage with the architects and engineers to discover issues that could effect the future build. Issues such as space planning, placement of infrastructure and even the placement of the proposed build on a site can be addressed with visualization through AR and the use of 3D models. Students can study and analyze at scale, models of their designs in real-world environments. Visualization saves time and costly mistakes. This is the future of architecture and engineering and students familiar with the new technologies upon graduation have a leg up on the competition.

Many institutions of higher learning now offer Additive Manufacturing as a discipline. 3D design, 3D printing and AR are integral parts of this curriculum. As an example, 3D design and 3D printing are being used for prototyping of product line design and AR is being used as a tool to visualize those product changes in real time. With the use of AR, team members can collaborate on product design and make changes on-the-fly, regardless of their location.

Nowhere has AR and 3D printing had such an impact as it does in the study of health sciences (dental, nursing, pre-med). In the dental sector it is being used everyday to visualize, design and print 3D implants and dentures at a much lower cost than ever before. Large dental practices are employing the technologies of both 3D design and AR to produce bridges, implants, dental plates and corrective devices for patients in office, cutting down on time and costs to service patients.

AR is being used in Dr.’s offices, clinics and hospitals to provide explanations of new therapies to patients in real world environments. And Prosthetics are being designed, tested and produced for patients—everything from robotic hands to artificial limbs, ears, and even internal organs—using 3D design techniques and AR for visualization and fit.

Today's graduates will be better prepared for tomorrow's workplace if they are familiar with the new technologies already being used in many industries.

If you’d like to see how makeSEA for Education can enhance your curriculum feel free to reach out to us for a free demo or trial. Call 800-803-1050 or Contact Us today.

VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), mixed reality, spatial computing—this is technology that is changing the way we do business. Companies are rapidly adapting to and using these new digital technologies to create better brand experiences, enhance training, and to collaborate and communicate.

Until now, creating content that works with these advanced platforms has been an obstacle to implementation for many. Most businesses do not have access to the knowledge and skills or software expertise to produce viewable and engaging content for this type of platform nor do they have any idea how to implement it for their business. That's all changing with the development of online tools designed to assist with the conversion of your content for use in the 3D spatial computing environment.

First, a little history about the evolution of VR and AR. According to the Virtual Reality Society, VR is considered to have begun in the 1950s with early elements having roots as far back as the 1860s—long before it became a new form of digital technology. Today it is used extensively in cinema, gaming applications, the military, healthcare and sports and many more industries.

Whereas VR immerses the user in an artificial world, AR—the next logical step in this evolution of the technology—is an interactive experience of the real-world environment overlaid with 3D computer generated information and images which interact together and can be digitally manipulated. The viewer perceives this information as part of the real world. AR is sometimes referred to as spatial computing or a mixed reality environment.

AR is rapidly becoming a tool for use in all industries. For example, in retail sales, customers can now try on virtual clothing in every size and shape without inventory as an issue. Or a client can compare products, colors, and design options for furniture, appliances, flooring, countertops, new car interiors and more. Retail brands can introduce new products at a trade show without physically having the item at the show—reducing shipping costs and space limitations for previously prohibited large equipment items. Moving forward, AR technology will be prevalent in new cars, identifying things like hazards ahead and frequently used lanes.

In the construction and design industries, AR is being used for everything from visualizing current pipe configuration in a remodel to imagining a new build on a property to picking out and placing appliances, cabinetry, flooring in a new home. Architects and designers can create life size 3D replicas of their designs, and remote clients can walk through 3D structures without leaving their office or home. In addition, AR can help architects and clients discover any problems or design flaws prior to the build, giving them time to work out a solution before beginning construction, saving on time and costs. Changes to plans can be made in real time and viewed instantly by all for approval or revisions.

For training purposes and even as a teaching tool AR is proving to be valuable. Visual learners benefit from the visualization capabilities of AR that can bring concepts to life as 3D objects or renderings. Visual learners are more engaged and retain more knowledge. Information provided in a digital format and viewable using AR can be updated rapidly and in real-time, decreasing risks, errors and transfer of outdated information and the costs associated with those issues. By providing real-time updated information and training a company can potentially eliminate or lower risks for injury in dangerous settings such as power plants or manufacturing facilities. It also decreases training costs by presenting hands-on relevant training without costly dated printed materials. With AR, information and data can be passed to a student or employee in real-time.

For those looking for a way to launch AR for their brand or company, the makeSEA platform makes it easy to generate unique 3D visuals from existing files of any format and gives everyday businesses the ability to wow their customers, enhance their offerings and differentiate themselves from the competition. The makeSEA professional services team can assist with diligence and strategy for a successful implementation and a positive ROI.

Utilize the makeSEA platform to implement Augmented Reality for your business:

• With no barriers to entry.
• No barriers to development.
• Automatically convert your existing 3D content into AR content. makeSEA leverages the models and data you’ve already created.

Whatever your use case call 800-803-1050 or Contact Us to see how easy it is to get your business AR ready. We are enabling digital transformation for everyday business.

As 3D printing is evolving it is pretty much mainstream coursework in institutions of higher learning. The departments of engineering, architecture, fine arts, and medical have incorporated 3D printing as part of their curriculum at many universities, with some offering programs entirely focused on additive manufacturing and related industries.

With the emergence of 3D design and printing, students are finding it easier to prototype and iterate quickly. Anyone can now design something and produce in 3D without needing access to a machine shop or knowing how to operate specialized software or equipment. The manufacturing and design worlds are seeing a new class of designers and engineers with the knowledge and potential to create models more quickly and to produce finished projects using new and better materials.

One of the biggest challenges facing schools is how to teach the critical skill of documentation. In addition, teaching how one can manage the assets and changes to those assets as the project evolves is essential.

For example how can you:

• track the changes on a project,
• capture the notes of other team members if it is a group project,
• manage the iterations on a design,
• track and propagate assets to other projects?

When you have the ability to capture evolving intellectual property (either from an individual or a team) it can be leveraged to benefit future student knowledge, used for school placement and recognition, and promote professional development.

Augmented Reality (AR) is also playing a role in the 3D design field. Now with the use of AR, student(s) can visualize and iterate faster on a project contributing to fewer test prints and wasted materials. Using AR as part of the 3D program can save time, money, and the environment allowing a program to service more users with fewer printers.

To find out how makeSEA for Education captures intellectual property, promotes documentation for individual or team projects and incorporates AR (with Magic Leap technology), Contact Us to request a free no-obligation trial or demonstration.