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Virtual reality has achieved an adequate level of development for it to be considered in innovative applications such as education, training, and research in higher education. Virtual reality offers both opportunities and challenges for the educational sector. One of the challenges of virtual reality technology is the costs associated which have been unaffordable for educational institutes. However, in recent years, computer hardware and software development has made it more feasible to incorporate virtual reality technology into future teaching strategies.Despite the cost challenges, educational benefits of implementing virtual reality remain compelling. This paper explains virtual reality principle and describes the interactive educational environment developed at WMG, the University of Warwick. It also discusses the benefits of using state-of-the-art 3D photorealistic interactive and immersive virtual environment for engineering undergraduates and postgraduate teaching, learning and training.

The multisensory aspect of the museum, while neglected for many years, is undergoing a resurgence as museum workers have begun to push towards re-establishing the senses as a major component of museum pedagogy. However, for many museums a major roadblock lies in the need to conserve rare objects, a need that prevents visitors from being able to interact with many objects in a meaningful way. This issue can be potentially overcome by the rapidly evolving field of 3D printing, which allows museum visitors to handle authentic replicas without damaging the originals. However, little is known about how museum visitors consider this approach, how they understand it and whether these surrogates are welcome within museums. A front-end evaluation of this approach is presented, finding that visitors were enthusiastic about interacting with touchable 3D printed replicas, highlighting potential educational benefits among other considerations. Suggestions about the presentation of touchable 3D printed replicas are also discussed. Paul F. Wilson (P.Wilson.4@warwick.ac.uk 07701333142): PhD Student, Warwick Manufacturing

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