This project is my current graduation project at the DAF Technology Lab, located on Tilburg University’s campus.
The DAF Technology Lab (DTL) at Tilburg University is a cutting-edge facility dedicated to virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. Opened initially in 2015 and now located in the CUBE building since 2023, DTL features two state-of-the-art CAVEs (Cave Automatic Virtual Environments) used for immersive educational experiences and interdisciplinary research, in collaboration with industry partners. These CAVEs enable users to interact with virtual environments through 3D projections and advanced tracking, supported by robust audio-visual systems. DTL’s diverse applications range from enhancing learning and teaching processes to conducting experiments in various fields like neuroscience and economic processes, often involving external organizations. Additionally, the lab is equipped with specialized VR research rooms and tools like EEG and eye tracking, facilitating a wide array of research and training programs.
See this video for a visual impression of the CAVE:
The project at DAF Technology Lab (DTL) of Tilburg University involves developing an interactive Proof of Concept (POC) for a CAVE leadership training program, inspired by a successful but technically limited team-building game created in 2016 in collaboration with Breda University of Applied Sciences and TIAS School for Business and Society. The assignment includes designing, developing, and evaluating an interactive leadership training in DTL’s CAVEs, focusing on effective leadership attributes identified through literature reviews and product analysis. The project, which will utilize Unity software and DTL’s custom CAVE-engine, entails creating a collaborative and interactive training experience, conducting user tests for improvement, and producing various deliverables including the Unity project, technical documentation, a user manual, an advisory document, and a software evaluation report. This initiative is aimed at various target groups, from students to professionals, and excludes conducting scientific experiments but leaves room for future considerations.
POLAR (Program for Outstanding Leadership and Advanced Reasoning) is set in a future scenario where scientists work on essential climate studies at the South Pole. The simulation immerses participants in a demanding environment where critical thinking, creativity in problem-solving, and innovative decision-making are crucial. The simulation includes intellectual challenges, with an emphasis on collaboration, strategic planning, and sustainable leadership practices.
This project offers an interactive and immersive experience, where participants take on various roles, ranging from team leader to drone operator and geospatial analyst. The combination of the CAVE environment with realistic visuals and surround sound results in an extraordinary immersive experience.
The primary goal of POLAR is to develop skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptive leadership. This makes the project relevant for a wide range of professionals and students, from science and technology to management and human resources.
For those that are interested, the full Game Design Document can be viewed here (or click this link):
Below, you can see a demo video (note: this is a WIP low-fidelity prototype. A prototype of higher fidelity will follow soon). In it, you will see three Unity ‘clients’ that are connected to each other through a network session. Eventually, these clients are supposed to run on the phones of the players, of which there are three in total (the team leader, energy manager, and drone operator each have a phone). The CAVE will eventually run the fourth client, which is not yet visible in the video. You will see that the drone (currently represented as the blue sphere) is controlled via an Xbox controller; eventually, it will be controlled in this manner (which more closely resembles how a drone is often controlled in reality):
The team leader sees the statistics of the game on their phone. Only the battery percentage is currently being updated. You will see that the left client currently has a view of the red area and the ‘drone’ of the game. That client should eventually receive the UI for the energy manager.
A project plan has been written, which includes the full scope of activities, research questions, and the methodologies used.