TJ Nuckolls wanted to be a virologist.
Instead, he entered the broadcasting industry, where he did post production work and designed motion graphics for such clients as Al Jazeera, CNN, ESPN and Fox Sports.
Now, as a graduate of the Virtual Reality Innovation Academy (VRIA), Nuckolls will have the opportunity to develop augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) content that contributes to a variety of medical fields including virology.
The Fairbury, Neb., native was one of 14 students to graduate Monday (May 20) from the VRIA – an 11-month certification program through EON Reality that provides the foundation for developing 3-D and AR/VR content including coding, animation and project management.
“The technology is here, but we need experts from different backgrounds to work as teams to create magic in health care,” said Pamela Boyers, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor, clinical simulation, iEXCEL (Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning). That “magic,” she said, is in developing content that can help trainees ‘see’ the human body through an AR/VR lens.
“It’s all about improving the lives of patients through new and innovative ways to teach.”
Nuckolls and fellow VRIA graduate Christopher Surgin will join UNMC next month as 3-D generalists to build content for the iEXCEL program.
AR/VR is one of the fastest growing technology sectors of the economy, and is spreading far beyond the gaming and entertainment worlds into business, education and beyond, including health care.
“It’s a really powerful medium,” Nuckolls said, predicting a day when wearable AR/VR technology will be commonplace.
In congratulating graduates, Dee Baird, senior vice president of economic development at the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, said iEXCEL creates a new vertical industry, or customer niche, in Omaha. “You are pioneers in creating this new vertical industry in health care and will take this to other industries and help them to transform, or start your own companies based on the skills you’ve learned.”
“Any business that accepts these students will be lucky to have them,” said Christine Allmon, program manager, AR/VR modeling and simulation, iEXCEL.
“The potential and the promise of AR/VR is giant,” said Jamie Justice, director of education U.S. and global innovation, EON Reality. Students develop transferable skills, he said, including modeling skills, basic coding skills, an understanding of display technology and key building blocks of AR/VR. “We’re passing out of the frontier into applied skills and can put people in high risk environments without being in high risk environments.”
Following the ceremony, graduates highlighted their projects, including a simulated operating room in which the learner selects the proper instrumentation for a given procedure.
Nuckolls praised the academy and said he’s ready to contribute to iEXCEL. “They have lofty goals and I’d like to help them accomplish them.”
Congratulations to all the graduates!