Athens, Ohio, Might 1, 2025 – Ohio College, HTC VIVE, and Virtualware have partnered to launch a brand new program referred to as the Digital Enterprise Collaboratory (DEC), which can present infrastructure to energy new digital engineering and workforce growth packages to assist the rising demand for superior manufacturing in Ohio.
The partnership combines Ohio College’s management in engineering schooling, HTC VIVE’s industry-leading XR {hardware} and software program applied sciences, and Virtualware’s enterprise XR platform VIROO. The venture will present Ohio College with the expertise infrastructure and capabilities wanted to speed up product growth, analysis, and workforce growth by enabling real-time collaboration between disparate college, {industry}, authorities, and Division of Air Power Analysis Laboratories (AFRL) members utilizing the most recent digital engineering & immersive applied sciences.
This system may even increase Ohio College’s present manufacturing coaching and certification packages to assist the rising demand for brand spanking new manufacturing facility employees.
“This program represents a daring step ahead in immersive digital engineering,” mentioned Scott Miller, affiliate dean for Trade Partnerships at Ohio College’s Russ Faculty of Engineering and Expertise. “By integrating XR expertise into our instructional and analysis packages, we’re getting ready the subsequent technology of engineers to assume spatially, act collaboratively, and clear up real-world issues. Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest {industry} sector that’s contributing 17.5% of the state’s GDP and we have to put together our native workforce for the brand new jobs in superior manufacturing.”
“HTC VIVE is proud to be a part of this initiative that places immersive expertise on the coronary heart of innovation and schooling,” mentioned Daniel O’Brien, President Americas at HTC VIVE. “With these new labs, Ohio College is positioning itself as a pacesetter in Trade 4.0.”
John Cunningham, President of Virtualware USA provides “The state of Ohio is dwelling to many producers and can quickly be dwelling to new superior expertise factories being constructed by Intel and Anduril, who want an estimated 7,000 new employees. Ohio College has been requested by the State and manufacturing corporations to seek out methods to assist speed up product growth utilizing digital engineering strategies and to develop workforce growth initiatives utilizing the most recent applied sciences. Our VIROO platform built-in with HTC’s XR options offers Ohio College with infrastructure that can be utilized for a lot of totally different functions and years to come back.”
Ohio College faces a key problem, enabling engineers, researchers, and finish customers to collaborate in actual time and in 3D throughout its geographically separated campuses. Athens and Dayton, situated two and a half hours aside by automobile, at the moment require bodily journey for collaboration. Whereas many finish customers, such because the U.S. Air Power and Intel, are primarily based in Dayton, a lot of the College’s analysis takes place in Athens. The implementation of the DEC is ready to bridge that hole, serving to speed up analysis and product growth.
The DEC infrastructure consists of two new laboratories situated on the Athens Campus and on the OHIO facility in Dayton, situated inside the Digital Transformation Heart (DTC). These labs are linked by way of the VIROO Enterprise XR platform and are outfitted with digital actuality gear and software program instruments. Customers can collaborate, share initiatives, product prototypes, and even create digital twins in actual time, both from inside the labs or from distant desktops, school rooms, or properties. The College of Dayton Analysis Institute (UDRI) operates the DTC and has partnered with Ohio College to develop and launch the DEC’s Dayton location, furthering the DTC’s mission as a collaborative innovation hub that drives innovation, fuels workforce growth, and fosters cross-sector collaboration amongst academia, {industry}, and authorities.
The DEC will formally open on Might 5 on the Athens Campus and on Might 7 in Dayton. The Dayton DEC opening shall be a part of the night occasion hosted on the DTC through the Dayton Digital Transformation Summit, a regional occasion centered on innovation and expertise in manufacturing and workforce growth.
