Google will undoubtedly be remembered for its influence in virtual reality’s exposure whenever we look back on things in the future. The Google Cardboard platform has been an accessible and inexpensive option for skeptics and the Google Daydream is shaping up to be a worthy contender across from the Samsung Gear VR, which is healthy competition needed if the mobile VR industry is to thrive.
In the UK, Google is looking to initiate a different type of influence, one that will utilize the growing VR medium as a tool. Via Wired’s UK page, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai is set to announce an initiative that will expand its King’s Cross campus and bring VR to a million school children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n29VQwW-03o
During his first visit to the UK as Google’s CEO, Pichai will be unveiling Google Expeditions to inspire teachers to incorporate virtual reality into their curriculum.
“Virtual reality can spark students’ imagination and help them learn about topics like how blood flows through the human body or the impact climate change is having on the Great Barrier Reef, in an engaging and immersive way,” says Pichai. In the video trailer for Expeditions, students were taken to locales like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. In addition to the VR focus on young students, Google will be improving its skills program The Digital Garage by adding 5 hours of training content focused on growing businesses.
“No matter where you live, no matter where you’re from, no matter what your job is – you deserve access to all the information, education and opportunity the web has to offer,” he says. “Our aim is to make sure that every individual and business in the UK has the support they need to make the most of online tools to innovate, compete and have fruitful careers in the digital age.”
The King’s Cross facility is Google’s new headquarters that started moving staff in around June this year. It houses many engineers that work on Google projects like Android and the 11-story building is a sight to see. There’s no telling what the new building they’re adding to the campus will involve, but one would hope virtual and augmented reality will get some sort of priority. We’ll update later as more information from Pichai’s visit is revealed.
