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ETI eXtended Reality (XR) Lab

The XR Lab (formerly Virtual Reality VR Lab) is a workspace for XR meetings, demos, exhibits, and a visitor stop.

XR Lab Location & Hours - 2025 Fall

• Room 4220
• Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:30–5 p.m.
• Closed during finals week and winter recess, Dec. 12–Jan. 2, 2026.

Scope of the XR Lab

The XR Lab is used as a space for the following activites:

• Explore XR technologies
• Test both XR hardware and XR software
• Share information across campus
• Provide training for all ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì faculty, staff, and students
• Support early adopters of XR curriculums
• Provide XR exhibits and XR demos in both the Los Altos Hills and Sunnyvale Foothill College campuses
• Provide XR exhibits and XR demos for ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì events, such as Day On The Hill and Possible Self
• Provide XR exhibits and XR demos for ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì Science Learning Institute (SLI) sponsored events, including events for youths from various local organziations.

ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì XR Lexicon

Various sources provide variations of what Extended Reality (XR) means, as is it a fluid and apidly evolving technology.  Below we provide ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì definitions of what XR means, according to our agreed interpretation here at ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì, so we all have a common understanding, as we build the foundational components of our XR Lab. 

High-level Definition

Xtended Reality is a computer-generated interactive environment. 

Xtended Reality Types

For purposes of communication at ÐÔÅ«µ÷½Ì, we propose four basic types of XR.

• Non-Immersive XR: User engages with a computer-generated environment using XR-external controls only. An example is a video game.   
• Semi-Immersive XR: User engages with a computer-generated environment using both XR-external and XR-internal controls. also referred to as Augmented Reality (AR). 
• Fully-Immersive XR: User engages with a computer-generated environment using XR-internal controls only. Currently, requires a headset.
• Holographic XR: User engages with a computer-generated 3D projected environment using both VR-external and VR-internal controls. Degree of VR immersiveness depends on the level of interaction driven by VR-external and VR-internal controls.  

Join the XR Club

The Xtended Reality Student Club is managed exclusively by students, under the supervision of a Faculty Club Advisor. Students run all club-related event, work on projects, and assist with the campus-wide communication efforts. 

Meetings

Wednesdays, weekly, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM, in the VR Lab (Room 4220).

Links

Discord: 

Social media: @foothillvrlab (Instagram)

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The XR Lab, along with eight other technology labs, make up the Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI).

Learn about all the ETI labs here.