Husson Will Receive $2.2m To Boost Its Unique Program In Extended Reality

Husson University will receive $2.2 million from the Harold Alfond Foundation to train more students in extended reality technologies that allow people to mix reality with virtual experiences for training and a variety of other purposes. The iEX Center at the School of Technology and Innovation, which is housed in Husson’s College of Business, will receive the grant as part of a push to educate students and address a growing need for workers who are well-versed in emerging technologies. Extended reality is an umbrella term that refers to three-dimensional computing environments that allow users to interact with their surroundings using immersive devices like virtual reality glasses or that overlay artificial realities onto one’s real-life surroundings using devices like smartphones and electronic tablets. The mobile game Pokémon Go used augmented reality technology to allow users to “catch” digital cartoon monsters using their real-time locations and physical surroundings. Social media giant Meta sells a virtual headset, the Oculus Quest, that uses a display screen, sensors, handheld controllers and sound to allow the user to engage in virtual reality gaming environments and block out their real-world surroundings. Husson is one of only a few universities in the U.S.