Dec 27 2010
PUC's Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS) recently received a federal grant of $749,853 to initiate the Mixed Reality Simulators for Wind Energy Education.
The project will develop five wind simulators to train university students and professionals about wind energy. CIVS combines simulation techniques and three-dimensional visualizations with virtual and augmented reality to meet industrial and environment related challenges. Mixed reality is a combination of computerized and real-world elements to allow students to learn and practice various wind energy systems to enhance their experience. The U.S. Department of Education has offered PUC a grant under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education program.
Wind Power Equipment
According to a report titled ’20 percent Wind Energy by 2030’, expansion of wind power in the United States would require skilled personnel to design, build, operate, maintain, and advance wind power equipment and technology. Some of the material will be included into PUC courses later and the technology developed for the simulators could be modified and applied to other disciplines and existing instruction techniques.
Chenn Zhou, head of the department of mechanical engineering and CIVS and Project Director, said the simulators will be used by universities, community colleges and industries for training a workforce and raising awareness on green energy. The project and the grant will be implemented in January 2011.