Inside WKU’s VR Climate Simulation: Extreme Heat

Step inside the future of climate education with the XR Lab’s VR Climate Science Simulation: Extreme Heat. “We are using a video game engine to develop a virtual reality environment where we’re simulating extreme weather conditions,” WKU senior Kelly Miller said. This research uses virtual reality to transform complex climate data into an immersive, interactive 1:1 simulation of WKU’s campus, allowing users to experience and explore the impacts of extreme heat firsthand. Built with real-world data from climate science sources, the project helps users identify safe and unsafe areas during heat events while demonstrating how VR can serve as a powerful, accessible tool for education, preparedness, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Additional researchers on this project include students Lisa Hendricks, Faith Essary, Emma Simpson and Sarah Thompson. “The XR Lab (the Extended Reality Lab) was started in 2021. We started very quickly investigating the possibilities that exist with VR that are beyond games, but we also investigate lots of other technology as well,” Associate Professor Mark Simpson said. Learn more about WKU’s XR Lab at https://www.wku.edu/xr/.