Topics
former
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:David Paul Morris/Bloomberg / Getty Images
Apps
Biotech & Health
Climate
Image Credits:David Paul Morris/Bloomberg / Getty Images
Cloud Computing
mercantilism
Crypto
The University of Leeds’ “Metaversity.”Image Credits:Meta
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
fund raise
convenience
stake
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
privateness
Robotics
security department
societal
Space
startup
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
More from TechCrunch
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
get through Us
As part of an ongoing effort to embed virtual reality ( VR ) in education , Metahas launcheda new partnership with a mint of university in the U.S. and U.K. , designed to provide feedback on a novel product that Meta go for will eventually make VR just a footling more mainstream .
The new Meta for Education genus Beta program will see Facebook ’s parent caller partner with 13 educational institutions , which will get access code to an other version of a product that Meta has been tease for a while already . In ablog poston Monday , Meta said it wants to “ make it easier for educators to discover synergistic and engaging content , ” spanning subject such as science , medication , account , and language art .
Ahead of the course of study ’s conventional launching , universities will be task with essay VR and mixed reality ( XR ) epitome in course , out front of a more conventional launch in the hereafter . The university include Arizona State University , Houston Community College , Imperial College London , Miami Dade College , Morehouse College , New Mexico State University , San Diego State University , Savannah College of Art & Design , The University of Glasgow , University of Iowa , University of Leeds , University of Miami , and University of Michigan .
Meta also sound out it ’s bringing its “ digital duplicate ” metaversity political platform to Europe , start with the University of Leeds in the U.K. ; University of the Basque Country in Spain ; and the University of Hannover in Germany . This follows more than two years after Metapartneredwith a company calledVictoryXRto power virtual university program in the U.S. — in environments that directly replicate their real - world campus counterparts .
Meta says “ immersive classes ” have begun already at the University of Leeds , with an initial focus on performance and theatre . The University of Basque Country , meanwhile , will adopt courting in February 2025 with class on physiotherapy and anatomy , while the University of Hannover will put up immersive classes set off in the next academic yr .
Virtual education
Today ’s announcement comes some seven month after Metateased a raw Department of Education - focused productbuilt around itsQuest headsets , include a hub for education apps and tools , and check to enable decision maker to manage multiple headsets centrally . At the meter , Meta said it be after to make the product available to “ mental home swear out learner aged 13 + ” ; however , today ’s news suggests that — for now , at least — it ’s focalize on sometime learners .
However , it also shows that Meta is far from give up on its costly VR try — Meta ’s Reality Labs turnout , pore on all things VR and AR , continues to bleed money . Its mostrecent earningsshowed that whilerevenue was up29 % twelvemonth - on - class to $ 270 million , its expenses were also up , leading to an overall Q3 loss of $ 4.4 billion , a figure the company expects to keep grow due to “ ongoing product ontogeny ” and “ investment to further descale our ecosystem . ”
Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
But with Applethrowing its hatinto the immersive headset ringwith the Vision Pro , some consider this could be the catalyst to catapult mixed realism — let in VR and AR — into the mainstream arena .
