image: Spartan Immersive Systems Collaboratory leaders
Credit: Sean Norona
UNC Greensboro (UNCG) has been selected as one of only three U.S. universities to receive a 2025 university grant from Virtualware and HTC VIVE. With the funding, UNCG, UCLA and the Illinois Institute of Technology will establish cutting-edge extended reality centers to drive innovative research, collaboration, and workforce development in their regions.
Through the center, UNCG students, faculty, and industry and government partners will lead extended reality (XR) innovation and develop the workforce of the future.
“Extended reality is accelerating discovery in every field, from health to engineering to the arts,” said UNCG Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement Sherine O. Obare. Using virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, people can visualize data, practice difficult skills safely, or explore new scenarios firsthand. “XR is quickly becoming a core tool across industries, and this investment positions our University and our region to benefit from its enormous potential.”
Region-wide development
As part of the funding agreement, UNCG's new Spartan Immersive Systems Collaboratory (SISC) will adopt a shared-access model, offering regional industry and government organizations free use of the facility’s immersive infrastructure to spur joint research and innovation.
“Immersive technology and artificial intelligence are transforming how we learn, work, and build,” said UNCG Bryan School of Business and Economics Assistant Professor Motahareh Pourbehzadi, the project’s lead principal investigator. “With our new Collaboratory, we are elevating the virtual reality experience from an individual activity to a collaborative, group-based learning environment.” SISC will serve as a gateway for students, faculty, and industry and government partners to explore and develop new immersive technologies. “It will also allow the University to train the workforce of the future right here in Greensboro.”
SISC will launch in 2026, furnished with HTC VIVE headsets, powered by the VIROO cloud platform, and offering professional services to support applied research, digital engineering, workforce development, and industry partnerships. Dr. Pourbehzadi, along with co-principal investigators Dr. Lakshmi Iyer and Dr. Moez Farokhnia Hamedani, will supervise the center development.
CDW and Lenovo are also contributors to the initiative. “CDW provided us with space and support for virtual reality development during the summer,” said Iyer. “They have been big advocates, bringing Lenovo in to support us with servers and the PC configurations needed for the Collaboratory. These partnerships are helping position UNCG as a regional leader in immersive technology innovation."
Building on existing strengths
Students will hold leadership positions in center development. “Students are an essential part of this endeavor,” said Farokhnia Hamedani, “Doctoral student Nicholas Amoah, for example, initially developed our virtual reality capacity as part of our new Google-funded Spartan Cyber Guardian Academy.”
As UNCG expands its research footprint, SISC will enhance the University’s capacity to drive technological convergence and further its mission as a rising research institution.
“We are honored to be selected by Virtualware and HTC VIVE for this forward-looking initiative,” said Obare. “This award reflects UNCG’s growing momentum in applied research, digital engineering, and regional economic partnerships.”