Introduction to Virtual and Augmented Reality

About the Course

This course intends to introduce the learners to the domains connected to Extended Reality (XR). It covers the evolution of Virtual Reality (VR), the technology behind VR, its components, and the design processes for creating immersive, interactive experiences. Students will also learn about XR’s applications across industries and its potential to transform interactions with technology.
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The course counts towards 6 credits in the ePGD programme in Interaction Design offered by IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay.

Who should attend?

This programme is for you if you are:

A postgraduate student in design interested in exploring the medium of XR (virtual, augmented and mixed reality).
A researcher or professional in the design industry who wishes to understand the potential of XR and associated emerging technologies.
An interaction designer, a user interface designer or a user experience designer who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of designing for XR.
An educator or faculty member in design or related fields who wants to teach introductory courses related to immersive media design.

For this course, it is preferred that you have a basic understanding of design principles and practices, familiarity with interaction design practices, and an openness to exploring the development processes in game engines.

Goals and Outcomes

Intended outcomes of the course:

Understand the history and evolution of Virtual Reality (VR) and Extended Reality (XR).
Gain in-depth knowledge of these technologies, including their components and functionality.
Learn the fundamentals of creating immersive, user-engaging environments in VR and XR.
Develop basic skills in designing interactive XR experiences, including creating 360-degree and spatial narratives.
Explore the applications of XR across various industries and its potential to transform human interaction with technology.

Contents and Schedule

The table below shows the planned contents for the in-person continuous version of the course.

Day

Theme

Session 1

Session 2

Day 1

Foundations

L1: History & Evolution of VR

Group Task: Opportunities for XR

Day 2

XR Systems & Interaction

L2a: Understanding VR/AR/MR
L2b: How& why VR Works

Development Process: Augmented Reality

Break

XR Experience

Hands-on XR Demo sessions

Day 3

Interactive Experiences

L3: Design Process : Interactive Experiences

Spatial Prototyping Demo: Virtual Reality

Day 4

Spatial Storytelling

L4: Design Process: Spatial Narratives

Group Task: Creating 360 content

Day 5

XR Futures & Applications

L5: Future Potential of XR: Applications & Use cases

Group Work: XR Concept Project

Day 6

Presentation & Reflection

Presentation: XR Concept/Prototype

Discussion & Reflection: Key learnings & Feedback

Course instructor

Jayesh Pillai

Eligibility Criteria

You have an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) from a recognised university in any of these disciplines: design, engineering, architecture, fine arts, applied arts, information architecture, ergonomics / human factors, writing and communication.

OR

OR, if you have any other undergraduate degree from a university recognised by IIT Bombay and if you have work experience in the industry of 3 years or more in any of these roles: user interface designer, user experience designer, web developer, information architect, graphic designer, visual designer, copywriter, product manager, brand manager.

OR

OR, if you have any undergraduate degree from a university recognised by IIT Bombay other than design, engineering, architecture, fine arts, applied arts, information architecture, ergonomics / human factors, writing and communication, and have qualified in the CEED exam.

Credits and Certification

Participants get 6 credits after passing this course which count towards the ePGD in Interaction Design from IIT Bombay. Please refer to the Credits / Certification section of the FAQs for more details.