Holo-cow! Students learn all about cattle with virtual reality

The Bovine Hololens project is set to bring cattle into the classroom to aid learning and teaching at Harper Adams University
The Bovine Hololens project is set to bring cattle into the classroom to aid learning and teaching at Harper Adams University

Students are learning all about cattle using cutting-edge virtual reality at Harper Adams University.

The Bovine Hololens project has brought cattle into the classroom to aid learning and teaching at the agricultural university.

The holographic, interactive cows are thanks to a cutting-edge project looking to boost teaching and learning by embracing the latest reality technology.

Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully self-contained holographic computer running Windows 10 and university staff had their first real look at the Bovine HoloLens visuals .

Anthony Chadwick from software company The Webinar Vet brought the technology to the campus.

'Wow moment'

Hololens users can move around the holographic cows at real-size or scaled to allow a more detailed view
Hololens users can move around the holographic cows at real-size or scaled to allow a more detailed view

Alison Pyatt, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, has been in discussions with Mr Chadwick and Microsoft since December last year.

The talks were about developing imagery to assist with bovine anatomy teaching. Microsoft supported the Webinar Vets development team as they built the Bovine Hololens content.

The technology allows users to zoom in to various body parts - here the udder- to explore the animals
The technology allows users to zoom in to various body parts - here the udder- to explore the animals' anatomy

She explained: “We went down to Microsoft and achieved a lot in just one week. I provided images and lecture notes from dissection practical lessons.

“We knew it could be done, but when we put the HoloLens on and really saw it, that was the wow moment, the proof that it worked!

“We chose focus on the udder to start with because it is quite a simple structure. We’re still not down to the finer details, but we do have views of the intact cow, its skeleton, blood flow, and then the detail and dissection of the udder.”

Experience

There are all sorts of ways the technology is used in the class when teaching students about cattle, Ms Pyatt explained.

“We could use it before a dissection practical to show the students what to expect, instead of a dissection practical, as revision or we could even get students to walk each other through it to learn themselves by teaching. There is plenty of scope for this to enhance learning experiences.”

Anthony Chadwick added: “This is going to be a really good experience for the students. With a real dissection, if you get an udder and cut it up, once you have cut it, there is not going back, no putting it back together.

"With the Microsoft HoloLens you can go back over it, right there in the lesson or even later as revision.”