On Monday, October 21st, UConn held its annual Experience Innovation Expo in the Student Union Ballroom. There, OPIM Innovate Lab Specialists Eli Udler (English & CS ’20) and Vaughn Nangle (Physics ’20) introduced students to emerging technologies and agricultural solutions, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets and hydroponics. The VR headsets, especially, were a hit due to the photorealistic graphics of the Oculus Go. Students were immersed in titles such as Jurrasic World VRSE, where they could watch dinosaurs thrive in 3D.
Udler, a wearable technology expert, also networked with the Puppet Arts department during the Innovation Expo. Having experienced working on wearable technology projects before, he believes UConn Puppetry can benefit from technology integrations. This may vary from projects including the Mindwave, a device that can read brain patterns, to Adafruit sensors that can detect sound and movement. “I’m excited to help introduce Innovate to different UConn departments,” said Udler. “Working with puppets will be a fun challenge.”
Both lab specialists had a great time demoing the latest and greatest technologies to those curious enough to stop by. “It was cool to see people so interested in what we do,” Nangle said. “Now I just wonder what they’ll do with our resources.”
We thank everyone who visited our booth during the Experience Innovation Expo and to the Werth Institute for putting this event together!