The MASTER project is an EU-funded project under Horizon Europe programme, that focuses on utilizing extended realityExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). (XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).) technologies to enhance the teaching and training of robotics in manufacturing. It aims to establish an open platform for the creation and management of XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). content in robotics, ultimately benefiting non-expert programmers to create robotic XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). educational content.
A strategically important step towards achieving the project’s aims has been taken with the outlining of the definition and requirements of the project’s common platform. The end users of the platform are non-experts in XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). content creation. However, these users are experts in robotic manufacturing as they know the elements required in the production and the process itself. According to the definition that has now been set, the targeted audiences will be the robotics workforce (engineers, technicians, and operators), students in the field of robotics manufacturing and teachers/trainers of industrial robotics. The outlining of the definition of the platform will lead to enabling these end users to transform their knowledge into creating XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). content, exercises, and learning sessions.
The definition of the end-users and establishment of the common platform is a key aspect towards the realisation of a central objective of the MASTER project; the overseeing of two Open Calls (OC) which will integrate third party contributions. The first OC, which is due to launch in February 2024, will be accompanied with a dedicated press release. The OC will focus on the development of ready-to-deploy digital learning solutions using the common platform. It will be open to all qualified institutions. The second OC, to be launched in early 2025, will follow up on the techniques developed in the first OC. It will focus on piloting projects in education that will validate the solutions developed in OC1 to create training actions in robotics manufacturing supported on XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). systems. OC2 will be open to institutions providing education or content creation services. Further details about the second OC, including participation criteria, duration and funding will be provided closer to the launch.
The OCs will be published in the MASTER portal and in the EU Commission Funding & Tenders Portal (F&T). In addition, the project website has a dedicated page for the OCs, where all the important dates and communications, including a public webinar to explain the OC objectives and application procedure. will be provided in due course.
Since the initiation of its activities at the beginning of 2023, the project has so far resulted in three XRExtended reality (XR) refers to real-and-virtual combined environment, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). related open access scientific publications, which are freely available on the website as well as on the project’s Zenodo repository. In addition, you can stay up to date on the project’s most important communications and events by following the project’s LinkedIn and Twitter/X pages. MASTER is also involved in the Extended Reality Learning cluster group, together with XR4ED and XR2Learn and has hitherto hosted two webinars which are available online.