In this research, we are developing an educational Virtual Reality (VR) experience that simulates a geological mapping field trip. This interactive experience will allow students to practice the process of mapping geological features of an environment in a virtual setting prior to an off-campus lab. The objective of this research project is to develop and implement an efficient, realistic, and immersive VR experience for EAES students at Douglas College to practice geological mapping techniques in a virtual setting. Accuracy and efficiency are often in conflict within computing science, so our aim is to explore different methods for creating a realistic experience given the limited computational power available of the Meta Quest 2 headset. This application will be developed using Unreal Engine 5.1 for the Meta Quest 2. Report submission was sponsored by Dr. Shahriar Khosravi, (Computing Science Department) for course CMPT 2367 and was presented at the New Westminster campus on April 12, 2023, for Student Research Days 2023.
