Project overview
The combined use of virtual reality (VR) and data science is helping QUT researchers to unlock new types of information for environmental conservation. VR technology is an emerging tool that can be used for public engagement with environmental issues and research experiments. So far, the combination of statistical modelling and VR experiments created new ecological insights on emblematic species including Australian rock wallabies, koalas and jaguars and, marine ecosystems on the Great Barrier Reef. This new approach is now accessible to everyone via the R2VR software that connect VR experiments to the open-access R statistical software.
Outcomes
Research publications
- Using virtual reality and thermal imagery to improve statistical modelling of vulnerable and protected species. Plos One (2019)
- Using virtual reality to estimate aesthetic values of coral reefs. Royal Society Open Science (2018)
- Modelling imperfect presence data obtained by citizen science. Environmetrics (2017)
- Virtual reality for conservation. Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Web3D Technology (2016)
- On the (virtual) getting of wisdom: Immersive 3D interfaces for eliciting spatial information from experts. Spatial Statistics (2016)
Media coverage
- Cosmos Magazine – Bring jaguars back from the brink
- ABC News – How dry diving the Great Barrier Reef could help save it
- Brisbane Times – Drastic improvement to habitat mapping brings hope for koalas
- Hakai Magazine – We have unrealistic beauty standards for coral too
Access to the R2VR software
Project team
- Dr Julie Vercelloni
- Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen
- Adjunct Associate Professor Erin Peterson
- Dr Edgar Santos
- Associate Professor Ross Brown
- Jon Peppinck, Master of Research student
- Tanya Dodgen, student
- Grace Heron, student
- Ella Wilson, student
- Miles McBain, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.