Next Lab Annual Report 2023/24 by ASU_EnterpriseTechnology

2023-24

Visionand Mission

Vision

To cultivate futureskills,technologies,andcareers that will lead to positive social impact in Arizona and beyond.

We boldly imaginenewcurriculum and co-createequitablefutures with diverse learners, educators, industry, technology, and our global society.

Mission

ExploringEmergingTechnologies: We relentlessly explore the frontiers of emerging technologies, unlocking their potential to transform the world.

CultivatingFuture-ReadySkills: We empower individuals with futureready mindsets and hard skills to thrive in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

ActivatingInterdisciplinaryCollaboration: We foster a culture of collaboration, bringing together diverse minds to innovate and solve complex challenges.

Values

Valuesandvision

At Next Lab, we believe that our values are the driving force behind our vision Our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and community engagement shapes what we do and how we do it. By placing our values at the forefront, we ensure that every project we undertake, every partnership we form, and every solution we create is grounded in principles that foster growth, inclusivity, and positive impact.

Weenvisionfuturesthataremore acrosstheglobe

Wherelearnersaren’tjustparticipants,but oftheireducation

TEAM

Studioassociates

Our Model

Howwework

Our organization operates a studio model similar to an 'indie' gaming studio or design house We collaborate with partners to ideate using the latest technologies and skills We assist our partners in budgeting and planning collaboration agreements that transform initial ideas into viable projects. Students from specialized skill guilds are then engaged to lead these projects, ensuring the delivery of critical milestones under the supervision of our project managers and subject matter experts.

Collaboration Agreement

Management

Skill Guilds

Fundingmodel

The Next Lab operates with a mixed funding model. Our projects are financed through a combination of grants and industry partnerships, while our core team of three full-time employees is supported by the Office of the CIO. To ensure the lab's long-term sustainability, we prioritize fundraising and aim to diversify our revenue sources to meet our future needs comprehensively

Student Team

StudioAssociates

At the Next Lab, we hire Studio Associates from across the university, encompassing undergraduates to doctorate-level students, to form a diverse and inclusive team We value diversity in thought, skill, and background, as it fosters richer ideation and creativity, which is highly valued by our partners. These partners include local government, large tech companies, and ASU faculty and staff, who support our associates through their grants and research funding.

36 Employees in 2023-24

114

Total hires since 2022

2 Coordinators

Students’areasofstudy

Animation, Applied Computing, Architecture, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Arts and Humanities in Games, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Construction Management and Technology, Cross-Sector Leadership, Dance, Data Science, Digital Culture, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Extended Reality Technologies, Fashion, Film Production, Game Development, German, Global Business Management, Graphic Information Technology, Human Systems Engineering, Industrial design, Informatics, Innovation in Society, Interior Architecture, Japanese, Marketing, Media, Arts & Sciences, Psychology, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Secondary Education, Software Engineering, Technological Entrepreneurship and Management, User Experience

Partners

Ourpartners

At Next Lab, we recognize that the dynamic interplay bet emerging technologies shape the skills of the future. By p

The Unity Social Impact Grant has empowered thousands of learners through peer-to-peer programs by providing resources and technology to significantly expand educational opportunities and community impact.

QS Impact and Next Lab launched an international skill challenge, attracting over 1,000 participants from 24 countries This initiative fosters global collaboration, showcases diverse talents, and drives innovation, and future skill development.

Converging Technologies

Focusareas

The convergence of AI, game technology, and spatial computing is set to revolutionize the world by creating unprecedented immersive and intelligent experiences. AI brings advanced data processing and decision-making capabilities, game technology offers rich, interactive environments, and spatial computing integrates digital and physical worlds seamlessly. Together, these technologies enhance user engagement and interactivity, enabling applications that were previously unimaginable. In education, this means more personalized and interactive learning experiences. In entertainment, it translates to more immersive and engaging content. In healthcare, it enables better diagnostics and treatment through enhanced visualization and interaction This powerful combinatio ransforming how we live, work

Gam

Game eng digital experiences using game mechanics that captivate users. In education and business, these engines can enhance agency, allowing users to control their environments. Intrinsic motivators, such as curiosity and mastery, keep us engaged, while flow design balances challenges and skills to sustain purposeful engagements

multimodality, NLP, machine learning, and LLMs can significantly enhance learning by providing personalized and adaptive experiences. Deep learning and NLP tailor content to individual needs, while multimodality supports diverse learning styles, enabling sophisticated interactions and customized learning environments.

Spatial computing

Spatial computing and real time 3D are offering significant societal benefits. VR/AR enhances experiences in entertainment, education, and healthcare. The Metaverse enables new forms of socialization, collaboration, and commerce Digital Twins improve industry efficiency by creating virtual models of physical systems, while immersive learning provides realistic training and transforms education.

Emerging Approaches

Waysofworking

Our approach equips you with tools for anticipating change, preparing for future scenarios, and learning from past events, enabling you to thrive in a complex and unpredictable world.

Futures thinking

Signals of change, foresight/insight, pattern recognition, and looki back to look forward techniques equip organizations to anticipate change, prepare for future scenarios, identify trends, and learn fro past events, fostering informed decision-making and strategic adaptability in an ever-evolving landscape

Principled innovation

Principled innovation fosters anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness, enabling us to proactively address challenges, continually improve, embrace diverse perspectives, and adapt swiftly to ensure ethical, effective, and sustainable solutions.

Embodied learning

Embodied learning leverages sensorimotor systems and recognizes neurodiversity, transforming education by valuing physical interaction and diverse cognitive approaches This immersive method fosters deeper understanding and inclusivity, challenging traditional views that often prioritize abstract, uniform learning processes

Learner agency

Heutagogy, self-efficacy, meta-cognition, self-determined, and rhizomatic learning empower 21st-century learners by fostering autonomy, reflective thinking, and adaptive, interconnected knowledge These approaches align with the demands of our information-rich world, enhancing lifelong learning and problem-solving skills.

Next Lab launches the QS challenge to 1000+ students

Bea Rodriguez Fransen TED Talk

Westmarc & City of Surprise Economic Development Next Lab starts SIGGRAPH student chapter FOLC festival

Open Door 2024 ASU Prep students exp the future with Next L

Lab at the 100Yr event networking event

Engagement

Tours and visitors to Next Lab

Engagement

Tours and visitors to Next Lab

107 Tours & Visits 547 People

CityofSurprise 21 officials

Cybersecurity& Infrastructure SecurityAgency

Jen Easterly

UnitedStatesAir Force 30 USAF leaders

ASUFoundation

Carly Nieri, David Wahls Amazon Hilary Foster, Jubleen Vilku Academic Alliances Kathy Silberman ArtMuseum Lizabeth Dion

ASUPrep 4 staff members, 25 ASU Prep Students

MayoClinic Nathan Delafield, Shiri Etzioni

MITWorldPeace University-Pune

Shri Rahul

Vishwanath Karad + 8 team members

ShenkarCollegeof Engineering, DesignandArt

Apple

Jonathan Bingham, Ken Gray

C10 21 executives

CanonUSA

Andrea Headley Rai, Paul T. Murphy, Jeff Palm, David Alan Wetzel, Steve Parks, Jay Horton

Yanai Toister Honeywell

Jim Currier + 2 team members

James Dwyer

CloudInnovation Center

Ryan Hendrix + 39 executives

CollegeofLiberal Arts&Sciences

Bryan Smith

CenterforScience &TheImagination EdFinn

CollegeofHealth Solutions

Henry Barto, Kristen Will

EdPlus

Jennifer Bale, Ricardo Leon

SiSePuede Foundation

Fredi Lajvardi, Glen Pohle, Mike Acevedo

Intel

Angela Creedon, Sowmya Venakataramani, Melinda Murdock, Flavio Maciel Menezes, Bernard Capraro

Safali Patel, Beverly Johnson, Martine Garcia

Deirdre Fernandez, Lisa Young, Laura Wapelhorst

GlobalInstituteof Sustainability

Dave White

Dave Guston, Ed Finn, Michelle Schwarz

Engagements

TIAA

6 staff, 50 students

UniversityofArizona

4 Faculty and Staff

UniversityofChile

David Alvo, Jose Correa, Alejandro Hevia, Sara Alejandra Rojas, Nelson Baloian

UniversityofExeter

Lisa Roberts, Peter Clack, Sarah Newby

ValleyoftheSun

UnitedWay

Cecilia Hermosilla

LightShed

Gabo Arora, Barry Pousman

Futurescape-Middleschoolcareerexplorermini-games

Client: SRP, Educational Outreach and Student Services, ASU Prep

Futurescape is a game for middle schoolers to explore various STEAM careers. Covering 15 industries across eight areas, including marine biology, manufacturing engineering, and forensic science, this virtual career fair features mini-games that simulate STEAM work experiences in engaging ways. Playtested with middle schoolers at ASU Prep, FutureScape incorporated their feedback for the final version.

ZoomintheMetaverse

Client: Zoom

This experience allows users to join a Zoom call from a virtual space and communicate through Zoom as a personalized avatar. Users can choose different virtual environments for various purposes, such as seminars, discussions, and conferences. The code is freely available on Zoom Github.

vedigitaltwins

ent: Institute for Digital Inclusion Acceleration

ing 3D modeling and the Unity game engine, Next Lab created four ginal interior environments to showcase different uses and styles of a ve, addressing community needs The digital twin Hives highlight various functions, including a live performance space, a workspace, a community learning environment, and a technology hub

Projects

Built by studio associates

Partnerprojects

eBands

Verizon

collaboration between ASU Next Lab, Zoom, and Verizon, om's video conferencing and Verizon's 5G capabilities to ive, real-time concert experiences The initiative supports ts and explores new ways to connect performers with shing the boundaries of virtual entertainment through nologies like motion capture.

Hacking4Defense

Client: Ohio National Guard

Funded by the National Security Innovation Network and in collaboration with ASU’s Hacking 4 Defense course, two Studio Associates from the course developed a prototype to modernize the Ohio National Guard’s system for pistol and rifle qualification ranges.

MaricopaCountydigitaltwin

Client: Institute for Digital Inclusion Acceleration

Next Lab has developed an exact-scale digital twin of Maricopa County through a unique integration of ESRI and the Unity game engine, serving various digital equity use cases. This proof of concept includes features such as drag-and-drop placement of buildings and landmarks for urban planning, a routing system, and the ability to pull specified data directly from ESRI for any selected coordinate.

CityofSurprisedigitaltwin

ent: City of Surprise, Westmarc

digital twin of Elm Street at Surprise City Center, a new development sed to become a central hub in Surprise, Arizona, aims to attract estors This interactive experience features ESRI-connected tasets and a walkable rendition of Elm Street, offering a comprehensive preview for both investors and residents, highlighting key data and immersive visuals

Built by studio associates

ASUpartners

niverse

: Internal

iverse is an interactive virtual representation of ASU's Tempe us, developed with the Unity game engine. This digital twin serves oundational model for research and developing user experiences, ding campus tours, shade maps, and energy usage maps.

pactWater

ent: Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory

lowing a successful Idea Jam to generate ideas and stories with dents An Arizona Water Metaverse platform was built on the Engage platform Providing virtual spaces to engage Arizona citizens in current discussions of the water shortage as it pertains to the Colorado River and the state of groundwater resources for the state’s agriculture

O li eVRSymposium

Barrett Honors College

of our Studio Associates collaborated with Barrett Online to p the college’s first immersive poster symposium for the Spring raduating class Leveraging FrameVR, the team recreated s physical space, produced videos featuring messages from the Dean and students, and crafted engaging experiences for the live event

ImmerseMefacultyresearch

Led by Emilia Gracia in collaboration with Meta and Next Lab, this project explores using VR to enhance language learning for international students. The research shows positive results, with students demonstrating significant improvements. The project aims to integrate VR technology into ASU Global Launch's curriculum

IndividualandcollectiveVRExperiencesforteaching historyresearch

Led by Dr Lauren Harris, Dr Bea Rodriguez-Fransen, Dr Victoria Thompson This study examined history teacher candidates’ perceptions of two virtual reality (VR) experiences: one collective (Next Lab’s Huddle experience) and one individual (Anne Frank House VR).

Projects

Built by studio associates

ASUpartners

CollegeofHealthSolutions360recruitmentvideos

Client: College of Health Solutions

A team of our Studio Associates collaborated with the College of Health Solutions to produce a 360° immersive video showcasing the diverse spaces, opportunities, and experiences offered by the college and its curriculum. Featured spaces included an exercise room, Downtown Phoenix student life and dorms, a scientific lab, and more.

AIInnovationChallengeProject

Client: Internal

Based on a proposal from one of our Studio Associates, Next Lab is utilizing ChatGPT to generate realistic user personas, aiding in the development of use cases for various projects and purposes

ASUvirtualcampus

Partners: Provost Office, VictoryXR, Learning Experience

Next Lab, Learning Experience, and VictoryXR partnered to create a virtual ASU based on the Tempe campus. The VR campus showcases iconic architecture and interior spaces to enhance collaboration and foster a deeper connection to the university. It includes teaching and learning spaces ideal for co-curricular services like Academic Support, tutoring sessions, and Multicultural Excellence group meetings.

Vi t lPatientProject

on College of Nursing and Health Innovation

of concept explores realistic and responsive human patient s for nursing simulation training. Realistic 3D avatars respond students' actions and inquiries in real-time, utilizing large g g models for the rapid creation, deployment, and execution of new nursing simulations.

Programs

Workshops, conferences and events

QS Impact skills challenge

We are partners and co-founders of the QS Impact Skills Challenge, a global skill jam where participants form teams to create games aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals The 2024 challenge attracted over 1000 participants from 50+ Universities in 24 countries. Next Lab Studio Associates lead game design and development workshops and offer open office hours to support participants. Finalists will be showcased at the Reimagine Education conference in London in December 2024, and the winning team will be announced at the QS Impact Awards in Nairobi in February 2025 The winning game will be featured on the QS Impact website with 53 million annual viewers

QS Impact Future 17

In Fall 2023, ASU Next Lab established the pilot of the QS Impact Future 17 program, an innovative initiative aimed at addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) This program engages student teams in international project-based challenges, fostering collaboration and creative problem-solving on a global scale. Building on the success of the pilot, the full QS Future 17 program was launched into the curriculum in Spring 2024, providing students with the opportunity to make a tangible impact while gaining valuable skills and experiences.

University of Argentina VR course

Next Lab collaborated with ASU Learning Enterprise to launch a groundbreaking initiative: VR training for over 2,000 faculty members in Argentina. This program aims to enhance teaching methods and educational experiences by integrating cutting-edge technologies. The training includes immersive virtual environments and AI-driven tools, fostering innovative teaching practices and improving student engagement.

Unity social impact peer to peer learning program

As the recipient of Unity’s Social Impact award for three years, Next Lab offers an upskilling program for 1000s of learners. The Next Lab Community Discord server is available to anyone and hosts monthly peer-to-peer workshops led by Studio Associates. We offer digital credentials for workshop attendance and completing stages of Unity Learn’s Essentials Pathway.

Programs

Workshops, conferences and events

The University of Chile worldbuilding workshop

As part of ASU Next Lab's Peer-to-Peer Learning program, Next Lab conducted an introductory worldbuilding workshop using Unity for students at the Universidad de Chile The 90-minute workshop, hosted on Discord, featured Studio Associate Leads introducing their guilds, including generative AI, game engines, and more Participants created Unity environments with 3D models, terrain, lights, and skyboxes. This event highlighted Next Lab's mission to make emerging tech skills accessible globally through hands-on workshops.

Sagewood and Mirabella VR experience

Next Lab hosted residents from Mirabella, ASU’s senior living community, who explored various health apps on the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro headsets Participants experienced meditations with TRIPP, the XRWorkout, Notes on Blindness, and a demo of Elsevier’s Complete HeartX. The residents provided valuable feedback for the forthcoming ASU Health medical school and showcased the potential of VR as a tool for all generations.

The Next Lab core team also visited the Sagewood senior living community to share our model and values and demonstrate our various experiences to the residents. Sagewood hosted a luncheon where residents could ask questions about Next Lab and share their lifelong learning experiences.

Carbon Summit

A team of our Studio Associates presented at the ASU Carbon Summit 2023, an annual event showcasing sustainable solutions to accelerate climate action goals and promote a balanced carbon future. They highlighted their progress on the Impact Water project for ASU’s Advancing Water Innovation Initiative This metaverse platform features an immersive 360 film to raise awareness and engage Arizona citizens in discussions about the Colorado River water shortage and the state of groundwater resources for the state's agriculture.

Programs

Workshops, conferences and events

Work+ conference

Studio Associates and employers are invited to participate in the ASU Work+ program, which offers access to the Hub The Hub is rich with resources and tools tailored to student employment and the professional development of working learners at ASU. Students also attended and participated in the Work+ conference.

Foresight workshops

Next Lab enhances the ASU community and beyond through workshops that promote long-term thinking and equip participants with foresight methodologies and skills, including signals of change, scenario building, futures triangle, and futures wheel. By applying these tools, participants gather diverse insights to aid strategic planning and innovation efforts By anticipating and imagining alternative scenarios, individuals and teams can navigate an increasingly complex and uncertain world, proactively shaping more just and sustainable futures..

Upstander pilot program

In collaboration with Enterprise Technology’s Chief Culture Officer and ASU stakeholders, Next Lab is developing an Upstander Pilot Program. This initiative promotes a healthy workplace by providing resources and a community to transform bystanders into upstanders Upstanders proactively address and respond to problematic behaviors or events, using their voices to stand up for justice and community well-being. Aligned with ASU’s principled innovation design aspiration, this pilot program fosters a culture of empathy, inclusion, and collective responsibility.

Financial literacy and future skill hackathon

Co-hosted by Next Lab, Enterprise Technology, and TIAA, the Fintech Collab Hackathon was a two-day event that enhanced the skills of 50 student participants in modern workforce competencies, including AWS cloud computing, generative AI tools, and financial insights. The event was supported by the W. P. Carey School of Business, AZNext, and an expert panel.

Guilds

Skill-buildingcommunity

Our guilds are communities of learners exploring and upskilling in future-ready subjects This model is open to the public through Discord and has attracted 300+ members.

Technical artistry, modeling, animation, concept

Engages in work that spans the entire artistic pipeline for our XR experiences through industry-standard tools–from 2D concept art to 3D models/animations, featuring shaders, materials, lighting, VFX, rendering pipelines, and volumetric scanning

Game engine

Develops our immersive experiences by utilizing real-time 3D game engine software like Unity and Unreal to build interactive frameworks and code features for desktop and XR platforms.

Artificial intelligence

Spans across our guilds to explore, find connections, and create space to advocate for ethical applications of artificial intelligence in order to stay ahead of the rapidly-evolving field.

Cloud infrastructure

Brings optimized communication and multiplayer capability to our experiences by connecting our applications to the cloud through research and development with servers, APIs, and other web-based resources and practices

Digital storytelling

Works with all of our projects to document our journey, convey our values, and share our stories through captivating digital materials, including videos, articles, graphics, and more

Quality assurance and user testing

Provides feedback for our projects by running routine testing sessions and writing detailed bug reports throughout the development process. This helps assess our POCs and MVPs, ensure product quality, and meet user demands and expectations.

User interface and user experience

Applies human-centered design research and processes to uncover user needs, map user journeys, and create intuitive interfaces for our products that improve the user experience with sleek, fun, and immersive engagement.

Project management

Program Coordinators organize weekly meetings with the leads of each guild/project to discuss and share processes, methods, knowledge and experience to achieve objectives.

Guilds

Skill-buildingcommunity

Studio associates spend 20% of their time upskilling and teaching each other.

Technical artistry, modeling, animation, concept

A new workshop is held at weekly meetings, each led by a different guild member. Workshops range from a variety of tech art-related topics, including tutorials in Blender for animation, modeling, and shader coding, as well as other lessons on digital sculpting, character design, weight painting, 2D animation in Toon Boom, environment design, digital painting, 3D printing, and more. Most recently, the guild has been working together on its own video game, inviting members from other guilds to contribute and learn about the artistic side of the game-making pipeline

User interface and user experience

During the year, the guild focused on honing its UX design and research skills through various usability evaluation methods They explored heuristic usability evaluations across multiple industries and examined the impact of VR technology within these fields The guild also delved into 3D UI design practice using a collaborative co-teaching approach They also conducted workshops on implementing user interfaces in Unity by converting them into 2D sprites Throughout the year, members provided valuable feedback and support to one another, demonstrating how UX skills could enhance each individual’s project

Game engine

For most of the past year, the guild focused on building in the Unity game engine, with weekly topics and workshops led by guild members on creating basic features and mechanics, such as first-person controllers and using the terrain system. The guild occasionally hosts minigame jams from week to week for members to exercise their creativity. Most recently, the guild has been exploring the capabilities of Roblox Studio, covering a range of topics to master the game engine.

Digital storytelling

The majority of the guild’s learning was through experience, as they promoted events and projects throughout the year, most notably our partnership with Unity and our P2P workshops. By creating and populating our YouTube channel with workshop recordings, interviews, and informational skits, the guild was able to upskill in social media marketing and content development They also explored designing for digital credentials, producing badge designs for the credentials we offer through our Discord

Guilds

Skill-buildingcommunity

Quality assurance and user testing

For a good portion of the last year, this guild hosted a monthly playtesting event series, inviting other Studio Associates as well as other members of the ASU community to play various games, highlighting the significance of bugs and focusing on a different aspect of playtesting methodology and implementation.

Cloud infrastructure

At each week’s guild meeting, a member brings in a Cloud-related topic to learn, discuss, or share with the rest of the guild. Topics include OAuth Flows, JWT, AWS, Azure, implementing multiplayer features in game engines, how cloud infrastructure is advancing in other companies and industries, and methods of applying various cloud-based APIs/SDKs.

Artificial intelligence

Over the last year, the guild focused on the utility of Generative AI This involved trying out new AI-based tools to help our guilds, making a chatbot for Next Lab, creating an image generator locally hosted on their laptops, and more The guild also regularly discussed developments in the field and tried out new models to stay at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field. Collectively, the guild’s goal is to see how they can optimize processes with AI, help other guilds, and learn about how AI works at its core.