XR Courses at Stanford

ARTSTUDI 169: Virtual Reality: the possibility and peril of immersive artwork
How can we use virtual reality systems to create powerful, beautiful and socially engaged artworks? Is it possible to use technically sophisticated (and sometimes frustrating) tools to share our unique personal visions? What can working in virtual reality teach us about our embodied reality and sense of presence? How might we question the hype and techno-utopianism surrounding VR, by using the medium itself? What is left out of the current conversation around VR that you would like to explore?In this introductory studio art course, students will learn to create artworks using virtual reality systems. We will use the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Daydream VR headsets, as well as more accessible phone-based augmented reality systems to explore this medium. Through lectures and research presentations, we will familiarize ourselves with the artistic history of VR - from foundational works from the 1990's through current examples - in order to inform our own work. Students will become familiar with the fundamental studio art practice of analyzing and critiquing their own and others' projects. Learning to analyze artwork in turn helps students create works with more emotional and conceptual impact. While there are no official prerequisites for this course, familiarity with any kind of scripting language or coding environment will be helpful as Unity will be used as the main authoring environment.

Terms: Aut | Units: 4 | UG Reqs: WAY-CE

Instructors: Graham, V. (PI)

CEE 342: Designing for Gradient Spaces
The course delves into designing for gradient spaces. Gradient spaces are physical spaces that blend from the 100% physical (real reality) to the 100% digital (virtual reality) and anything in between. Through a series of lectures, discussions, and hands-on projects, students will explore what it means to design in such spaces on three core levels; from design thinking, to architectural design, and technological design (e.g., mixed reality applications). It will consider the above from the perspective of occupants of these spaces that have different physical and digital needs and preferences. The goal of the course is to create cross-disciplinary interactions to connect physical space design and digital application design, towards the creation of physical and digital experiences that are suitable and centered to users. While students will be exposed to all three levels of design, they are expected to focus only on one for their final project.

Terms: Spr | Units: 3

Instructors: Armeni, I. (PI)

COMM 166: Virtual People (COMM 266)

(Graduate students register for COMM 266. COMM 166 is offered for 5 units, COMM 266 is offered for 4 units.) The concept of virtual people or digital human representations; methods of constructing and using virtual people; methodological approaches to interactions with and among virtual people; and current applications. Viewpoints including popular culture, literature, film, engineering, behavioral science, computer science, and communication. Note for PhD students in programs other than Communication: instructor permission required.

Terms: Aut | Units: 5 | UG Reqs: WAY-SI

Instructors: Bailenson, J. (PI) ; Belger, L. (TA) ; Dao, H. (TA) ; Santoso, M. (TA) ; Wang, P. (TA)

COMM 280: Immersive (VR/AR) Journalism in the Public Sphere
The immersive space (cinematic VR, virtual reality, and augmented reality) is journalism's newest and most exciting reporting and storytelling tool. We survey best practices and methods in this emerging medium and learn 360-degree video production and postproduction. Teams will illuminate issues and provoke conversation in the public sphere. Prerequisite: Preference to Journalism M.A. students. To enroll, please contact instructor (gerim@stanford.edu) describing in an email your experience with journalism, video & audio storytelling, AR or VR or spatial storytelling.

Terms: Win | Units: 4

Instructors: Migielicz, G. (PI)

CS 11SI: How to Make VR: Introduction to Virtual Reality Design and Development
In this hands-on, experiential course, students will design and develop virtual reality applications. You'll learn how to use the Unity game engine, the most popular platform for creating immersive applications. The class will teach the design best practices and the creation pipeline for VR applications. Students will work in groups to present a final project in building an application for the Oculus Quest 2 headset. Enrollment is limited and by application only. See https://cs11si.stanford.edu for more information and the link to the application. Prerequisite: CS 106A or equivalent

Terms: Win | Units: 2

Instructors: Borenstein, J. (PI)

DESIGN 284: Designing for Extended Realities
Designing for Extended Realities is an startup accelerator-style design course that equips students with the skills and knowledge to design and develop extended reality (XR) products in a critical, intentional, and human-centered way. Students will work in multidisciplinary teams to explore a single XR design project throughout the quarter that culminates in a public XR exhibition. Through the practice of design thinking and prototyping, students will explore and experiment with state-of-the-art technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Project teams will receive mentorship guidance from world-class XR experts from Meta, Unity, IDEO, Snap, and more, including product designers, product managers, engineers, and VCs. Entrepreneurial, design, technical, or subject-matter interest highly encouraged. XR devices and software licenses will be provided to student groups. Final course enrollment codes is by granted application approval and attendance in the first week. APPLICATION at https://forms.gle/U4qE34SY5qVrEM4JA. Group applications encouraged.

Terms: Spr | Units: 3-4

Instructors: Chung, S. (PI) ; Sun, Y. (PI) ; Tabrizian, P. (PI)

EE 267: Virtual Reality
OpenGL, real-time rendering, 3D display systems, display optics & electronics, IMUs and sensors, tracking, haptics, rendering pipeline, multimodal human perception and depth perception, stereo rendering, presence. Emphasis on VR technology. Hands-on programming assignments. The 3-unit version requires a final programming assignment in which you create your own virtual environment. The 4-unit version requires a final course project and written report in lieu of the final assignment. For WIM credit, students must enroll in EE 267W for 5 units. Prerequisites: Strong programming skills, ENGR 108 or equivalent. Helpful: basic computer graphics / OpenGL.

Terms: Spr | Units: 3-4

Instructors: Wetzstein, G. (PI)

EE 267W: Virtual Reality (WIM)
Writing in the Major (WIM) version of the 4-unit EE 267 theory + lab/project course. This course also meets the EE design requirement. Topics include: OpenGL, real-time rendering, 3D display systems, display optics & electronics, IMUs and sensors, tracking, haptics, rendering pipeline, multimodal human perception and depth perception, stereo rendering, presence. Emphasis on VR technology. Hands-on programming assignments. The 5-unit WIM version requires everything the 4-unit version does, i.e. a final course project and written report in lieu of the final assignment. The 5-unit WIM version additional requires participation in 2 writing in the major workshops, and weekly writing assignments. Prerequisites: Strong programming skills, ENGR 108 or equivalent. Helpful: basic computer graphics / OpenGL.

Terms: Spr | Units: 5

Instructors: Wetzstein, G. (PI)

MUSIC 228X: Research and Development for Stanford VR Orchestra
The Stanford Virtual Reality Orchestra (sVoRk) is an unprecedented form of computer music ensemble, where both performers and audience are in a shared fully-immersive virtual environment. This project-based course explores artful ways of designing VR instruments, avatars, virtual environments, and audience experiences directly in support of a full VR concert to be delivered as part of Music 228 in Spring Quarter. Pre-requisite Music 256a / CS 476a.

Terms: Win | Units: 1-3 | Repeatable 20 times (up to 60 units total)

NSUR 210: Operative Neuroanatomy Using Virtual Reality and Cadaver Lab
This course will employ virtual reality (VR) tools in parallel with cadaveric specimens to demonstrate techniques used in neurosurgical oncology (including skull-based tumors and cortical tumors,) treatment of brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, cavernomas, and more. Lab sessions will first introduce the relevant neuroanatomy using the VR headsets, and then give students an opportunity to analyze the pathological findings in VR, discuss, and evaluate different methods of repair. Relevant anatomy and surgical approaches will also be discussed using prepared cadaveric specimens. the course is comprised of four three-hour-long evening lab sessions at the Stanford Neurosurgical Simulation and Virtual Reality Center.

Terms: Spr | Units: 1 | Repeatable 2 times (up to 2 units total)

Instructors: Fernandez-Miranda, J. (PI) ; Savchuk, S. (TA)

PAS 275: Immersive Technologies in Healthcare
This course explores the fundamental concepts of extended reality (XR) uses in healthcare. This includes augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality. This course will establish a foundation for understanding the current and potential uses of immersive technologies in healthcare and patient education settings. Enrollment is limited to first and second year MSPA students, as well as MD Students.

Terms: Win | Units: 1