{"id":490293,"date":"2024-10-21T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=490293"},"modified":"2024-10-21T09:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T07:30:00","slug":"xr-lab-oasis-in-hilversum-where-education-industry-and-creativity-collide-to-shape-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/xr-lab-oasis-in-hilversum-where-education-industry-and-creativity-collide-to-shape-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"XR Lab Oasis in Hilversum: Where education, industry, and creativity collide to shape the future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The XR Lab Oasis<\/a>, led by program director Rufus Baas, brings together students, teachers, and media companies to explore the possibilities of virtual and augmented reality (VR\/AR). With a focus on creativity and industry relevance, Baas emphasizes that preparing students for life requires a blend of education, experimentation, and real-world experience. Five years into its journey, the XR Lab is paving the way for future talent in an ever-changing technological landscape. Rufus Baas shared some of his experiences at the opening ceremony of the new High Tech Campus-based 3EALITY hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparing for the unknown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rufus Baas, who comes from the media entertainment and gaming industry, believes that education needs to adapt to an unpredictable future. \u201cWe\u2019re preparing students for jobs that don\u2019t yet exist,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s like giving them a map to a treasure that hasn\u2019t been discovered yet.\u201d At the heart of this approach is the XR Lab, where students, teachers, and companies come together to build prototypes, explore ideas, and experiment with emerging technologies like VR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Oasis?<\/h2>

OASIS is a partnership between six technical-creative vocational schools and leading media companies aimed at training specialists in immersive solutions. Located at the Hilversum Media Park, it is the place where physical and virtual worlds merge. Immersive technology such as VR and AI offers solutions to major challenges, from spatial planning and security to education.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Baas describes the XR Lab as a space where education and industry collide, creating opportunities for creative experimentation while keeping a pulse on industry demands. \u201cWe focus on developing practical skills but also on fostering creativity. The collaboration between teachers and media professionals is essential for giving students the tools they need to navigate the future job market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Challenges of a rapidly evolving landscape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The XR Lab has faced numerous challenges over the past five years, especially in balancing the rapidly evolving technology landscape with the slower pace of market adoption. \u201cWe had big dreams, like creating the Matrix,\u201d Baas says with a smile. \u201cBut reality hit us fast, and we ended up building virtual chairs instead.\u201d This reality check has been a central theme in the lab\u2019s growth, forcing them to navigate both hype cycles and shifting priorities in the tech world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Disruption, rather than driving innovation, often leads to conservatism.”<\/p>\nRufus Baas<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne year, everyone is excited about VR, the next it\u2019s blockchain, and now it\u2019s AI,\u201d Baas reflects. \u201cThe technology moves fast, but the market doesn\u2019t always keep up. Disruption, rather than driving innovation, often leads to conservatism. People get scared about what new tech might do to their jobs.\u201d Despite these hurdles, Baas and his team have pushed forward, working on prototypes and developing innovative solutions in collaboration with students and industry partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration between the media industry and education has been a cornerstone of the XR Lab\u2019s success. Baas emphasizes the importance of combining short-term solutions with long-term visions. \u201cMedia companies want quick results, fast feedback, and immediate insights,\u201d he says. \u201cBut we also need to think about the future. That\u2019s why we provide both short-term solutions and long-term visions that address the challenges of tech maturity, shifting priorities, and resource limitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the standout innovations at XR Lab is the virtual production studio, where green screen technology is replaced with large LED screens displaying real-time 3D environments. This approach has brought about a shift in how films and TV shows are produced, allowing actors and filmmakers to interact with fully realized environments during production. \u201cYou can\u2019t fully understand the power of this technology until you try it,\u201d Baas says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Invite the kids. They\u2019ll break your stuff, but that\u2019s how you learn.\u201d<\/p>\nRufus Baas<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Growing together with tech and creativity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Baas sees the XR Lab as a flexible growth environment\u2014a sandbox for innovation where students, educators, and industry professionals can experiment, fail, and try again. \u201cWe aim for the heart,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about teaching technical skills; it\u2019s about helping people grow creatively and collaboratively.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to working with media companies, XR Lab has now partnered with several educational institutions, including Sint Lucas<\/a>, to broaden its reach. \u201cWe want to connect to the tech sector more,\u201d Baas adds. \u201cWe have creative knowledge from the media industry, but we need technical expertise to push the boundaries even further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His message to innovators and educators is clear: collaboration is the key to success. \u201cWe look five to ten years ahead, and we invite everyone to join us on this journey,\u201d he says, encouraging industry professionals to connect with educational institutions and foster creativity. \u201cAnd don\u2019t forget\u2014invite the kids. They\u2019ll break your stuff, but that\u2019s how you learn.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The XR Lab Oasis, led by program director Rufus Baas, brings together students, teachers, and media companies to explore the possibilities of virtual and augmented reality (VR\/AR). With a focus on creativity and industry relevance, Baas emphasizes that preparing students for life requires a blend of education, experimentation, and real-world experience. Five years into its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1568,"featured_media":505493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[84026,8553],"tags":[81445,86536,86538,86541,86543],"location":[6763],"article_type":[6758],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[82795],"class_list":["post-490293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-data","category-digital","tag-3eality","tag-hilversum","tag-mediapark","tag-rufus-baas-2","tag-xr-lab-2","location-netherlands","article_type-interview","reboot-archive-data"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"At the opening ceremony of the High Tech Campus 3eality hub, Rufus Baas shares insights on building the XR Lab and preparing students for jobs that don\u2019t yet exist.","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Bart Brouwers","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/brewbart\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-2024-10-16-at-18.26.47.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["DATA+<\/a>","Digital<\/a>"],"unlinked":["DATA+<\/span>","Digital<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["3EALITY<\/a>","Hilversum<\/a>","Mediapark<\/a>","Rufus Baas<\/a>","XR Lab<\/a>"],"unlinked":["3EALITY<\/span>","Hilversum<\/span>","Mediapark<\/span>","Rufus Baas<\/span>","XR Lab<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 1 year ago","modified":"Updated 1 year ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on October 21, 2024","modified":"Updated on October 21, 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on October 21, 2024 9:30 am","modified":"Updated on October 21, 2024 9:30 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1568"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=490293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/490293\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/505493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=490293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=490293"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=490293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}