As part of the Innovation and Research "Education Futures Collaboratory" and Ecosystem, the X►STUDIO is located in room 311 of the Consumers Energy (John G Russell Leadership) building in downtown Grand Rapids, next to the Seidman College of Business. While the exhibition-based TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE in Allendale is a place to "come and see" the latest and greatest in emerging technology, the studio is a space to "go and do". Interested in visiting the studio? Please contact Jacob Fortman, Emerging Technology Research Analyst.

The studio is a coworking space, designed to accelerate and incubate ideas, explore future teaching and learning technologies, engage with faculty and students to collect feedback, and encourage exploration and experimentation in the design of the next generation of transformational teaching and learning environments. 

Come to the studio to eXplore, eXperience, and eXperiment with innovative technologies to help shape the future of teaching, learning, and research at GVSU...

GRAND PATH PROJECT

The studio is currently serving as the headquarters for "Grand Path" a collaborative initiative of the Visual and Media Arts Department,  the Applied Computing Institute, and IT Innovation and Research.

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

The following technologies and initiatives are currently in research:

• Neat Bar - Expanding the experience of Zoom in meetings and classrooms. (May 2021)
• Neat Frame - Build up the meeting experience in Zoom with an extended display. (March 2022)
• Logitech Brio - Enhancing classroom web camera technologies to include 4K and rich audio capture. (May 2021)
• Logitech Rally Bar - All in one videoconferencing.
• Logitech Rally Plus - Evaluating pan, tilt, zoom enhanced camera capabilities as well as audio and whiteboard capture for large spaces. (May 2021)
• Logitech Scribe - Whiteboard capture. (June 2021)
• Owl Pro - Extending interactive web camera features for remote meetings and classrooms. (May 2021) 
• Whiteboard Owl - Evaluating whiteboard capture capabilities. (May 2021)
• Active Learning Classrooms - Inventing the next generation of teaching and learning spaces at GVSU. Shure MXA910 ceiling microphone array, Logitech Rally Plus / Logitech Scribe classroom installation, and 1beyond AutoTrack3 PTZ cameras. (Summer 2021)
• eSports - Collaborating to equip and implement GVSU's first eSports venue. (Summer 2021)
• Poly Studio X50 - Videoconferencing solutions. (September 2021)
• eGlass - Lightboard video production studio. (November 2021)
• Lenovo ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses - Augmented reality glasses. (December 2021)
• Bose Videobar VB1 - Videoconferencing solutions. (January 2022)
• Lenovo Mirage VR S3 Headset - Virtual reality. (January 2022)
• Scalable Display - Edge-blending projectors for immersive displays. (March 2022)

PROOF OF CONCEPT

The following technologies are in research as potential proof of concept initiatives:

• Class for Zoom - Joined beta of Class (September 2020) to enhance the synchronous experience of teaching in Zoom. In evaluation for pilot in future semester. 
• Grammarly @edu - Researched Grammarly @edu (January 2021) to extend writing assistance, feedback, and student guidance. In evaluation for pilot in future semester.
• CLIPr - Researching AI and machine learning capabilities to better leverage video.

EVALUATED

The following technologies have been investigated:

• SimpleCloud - Researched SimpleCloud as a potential solution for virtual desktop, high performance computing, and education. (October 2020)
• CLIPr - Researched CLIPr as a potential solution to condense video from meetings or classes using machine learning and artificial intelligence. (October 2020)
• T1V ThinkHub - Researched ThinkHub as a collaborative whiteboarding solution, similar to Google JamBoard or Bluescape. (March 2021)

PENDING

The following technologies are being evaluated for potential research:

• Lifesize Meeting Room Systems and Connect - Videoconferencing cameras.
• Lifesize Kaptivo - Whiteboard capture.
• HuddleCamHD HC20X SimplTrack 2 - PTZ Camera for videoconferencing.
• Sennheirser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 - Room audio capture.
• Huddly AI - Meeting room cameras and whiteboard capture.
• Barco weConnect - Virtual classroom experience for remote learning.
• DTEN ME Kiosk - Zoom Room-based virtual receptionist.
• Mersive Solstice - Collaboration solutions for meeting and learning spaces.
• Have a technology to add to our list, please contact us!

PARTNERS

Investigative meetings have also been held with the following business and industry leaders: Amazon AWS, Coursera, Cisco, Crestron, Apporto, SimpleCloud, Dell, Apple, Microsoft, CDWG, Zoom, Neat, Urben, Brightspot, Rocket League eSports, Poly, Logitech, Lenovo, Invoke Learning, Transact Campus, ExLibris, and locally including: GVSU Innovation Hub, GVSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, GVSU Innovation Design Center, GVSU NextEd, Kent ISD, Muskegon Community College FabLab, Lake Michigan College FabLab, Herman Miller, and Steelcase. 

Partnering with Facilities Services and Recreation & Wellness, and the Division of Student Affairs, the I+R team collaborated to establish GVSU’s first Esports venue, opened in November 2021.

Partnering with Facilities Services, Office of the Provost, Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center, eLearning Technologies, IT Services, and the Registrar, the I+R team collaborated to establish 3 state-of-the-art active learning classrooms that support dual mode or hybrid delivery in Fall 2021 and Winter 2022.

Additionally, the I+R team has collaborated with GVSU's School of Computing Senior Project capstone students enrolled in CIS 467 on building an "Extended Reality Gallery" (2019) as well as a "Smart Start - Personalized Classroom Configuration Solution" (2021).

Engage with the X►STUDIO

• Interested in sharing an idea to: eXplore, eXperience, or eXperiment?
• Excited about lowering the barriers for exponential impact?
• Focused on accelerating change and creating a future-ready campus?
• Wanting to get plugged into the innovation pipeline?
• Desiring to explore an idea to add value and transform the university yet need a catalyst?
• Looking for opportunities to reduce friction, remove inefficiencies, solve challenges, and improve the education journey at GVSU?

Don't venture forward alone, join us! Reach out to Eric Kunnen, Senior Director, IT Innovation and Research, and let's partner together in a journey to imagine, reach higher, and create the next-generation of education.