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Five finalists have been selected in the EdSim Challenge, a U.S. Department of Education competition for next-generation computer simulations for career and technical education. The finalists are Case Western Reserve University, Embodied Labs, Octotorpe, Osso VR and Smart Sparrow.
The Education Department invited the virtual reality (VR), videogame developer and ed tech communities to submit immersive simulation concepts that could prepare students for the globally competitive workforce. The finalists were chosen from 249 submissions from across the country.
Case Western Reserve University created the Holographic Anatomy to Transform Healthcare Learning, a digital alternative to cadaver-based dissection, teaching medical anatomy using Microsoft HoloLens.
Embodied Labs built the Alfred Lab, a series of VR patient-experience labs for training students to be better caregivers of aging populations.
Octothorpe created a VR experience that uses critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork to explore subjects such as chemistry and psychology called the Irregular: Sherlock Holmes.
Osso VR developed an orthopedic surgical training simulation platform that creates realistic, hands-on interactions.
Finally, Smart Sparrow’s LifeCraft explores the Earth's life through VR journeys through archeology, biology and astronomy.
Each finalist won $50,000 and development kits from Oculus and Samsung and a VR headset from HTC. Additionally, the five are entered in the EdSim Virtual Accelerator to refine their submissions and develop prototypes. Accelerator judges will recommend a grand prize winner or winners to receive $430,000 and additional prizes from IBM and Microsoft.
