McMaster University and Spanish tech company Virtualware unveiled a new state-of-the-art virtual reality room at McMaster Innovation Park on Monday.
Virtualware founder and CEO Unai Extremo was joined by the Spanish ambassador to Canada Alfredo Martínez Serrano and other dignitaries as the company unveiled a brand-new custom-built virtual reality lab as part of an initial four-year partnership with McMaster’s engineering program.
Extremo said, “Today we create a portal to infinite possibilities, a gateway to the future. The future of VR isn’t a distant dream. It’s here, it’s now and it’s only going to grow more progressive and more integral to our lives.”
READ MORE: Police continues to seek suspect after armed bank robbery in Welland
Virtualware VP general manager Michael Rosas says Hamilton was the perfect fit to launch their first VR space in Canada. “Ultimately what we see is a great opportunity for Hamilton to be the hub for VR for industry. We see because of the companies around it, all the investments and new developments that’s happening a really great eco-system to have people involved to utilize this technology.”
The 100-metre-squared, free-roam, lab provides students, faculty, and businesses with the opportunity to explore new uses for virtual reality tools and services.
Hanna Haponenko, a research fellow with the McMaster Automotive Research Centre and says while the technology may seem advanced, users are able to create content without the need to write even a single line of code.
“…beginners can come in, their learning curve is a lot steeper for making simulations and it really invites the broader community to come in and make simulations that ten years ago they probably wouldn’t have been able to. Virtualware has made it possible for that wall to be broken down,” Haponenko said.
READ MORE: Fire damages townhouses under construction: Brantford police
