Progress 07/15/24 to 07/14/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The 2024-25 target audience was students tested at University of Texas-Arlington campus under Dr. Shuchi Deb. The utility of the Future Growers Technology Virtual Reality Greenhouse was tested on students in both 2D and 3D formats. Userability, motion sickness, and learning was tested in a VR laboratory. The results of the tests are now being developed for a final peer-reviewed article to be published in the journal of Computer and Electronics in Agriculture later this summer. Through this testing, we attempted to demonstrate the VR functionality and to verify best user practices. Changes/Problems:We experienced no major changes or problems during this reporting period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Mississippi State University Office of Technology Management has developed a sharing agreement with Wayne State University for sharing the virtual greenhouse during summer camp. All materials are being shared free-of-charge with the summer program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We expect to disseminate the findings in the next two months. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We expect to close this grant in September 2025 with a final report, 1 published journal article, and 2 best practices training manuals.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In 2025, the research team developed the final draft journal article detailing the research outcomes at University of Texas Arlington. Two protocol handbooks on the best training practices were also tested and are ready for release.
Publications
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Progress 07/15/23 to 07/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audience for the outcomes of the 3rd objective include college students that are recruited by U of Texas-Arlington. The student population in the VR testing lab there have some familiarity with VR-based training exercises. Secondary and tertiary audiences include: Horticulture program students, Workforce development programs (i.e. community college, trade schools), and Possibly industry environmental control systems providers. Changes/Problems:The grant was extended a 3rd time to accomodate the final VR prototype testing on a student population at U of Texas-Arlington under the guidance of Co-PI Dr. Shuchi Deb. Training materials from the previously failed trial were mailed to the new testing site in early 2024. The PI and Dr. Deb continue to develop the new IRB required for the testing procedures, and testing is expected to commence in early Fall. The results of the new IRB procedures will be made available to Mr. Douglas Schneweis as soon as available. We thank you all for your assistance. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? No conference presentations or professional development occurred since the last reporting period. Our sole aim in fall of 2023 was to test the VR prototype at two different campuses. The testing failed, however, due to lack of participation by a key faculty, who was not funded on this project. We have opted for a 3rd extension and moving the testing of Obj. 3 to U of Texas-Arlington where a participating faculty member has the resources to conduct adequate training and testing procedures. One undergraduate charged with operating the VR lab for student participants did receive training on the software in summer of 2023. The student managed the lab during the entirety of the fall 2023 semester and received compensation from an account not related to this research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We expect results from the 3rd objective testing to be published in 2025. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Qualitative testing of the VR product begins in September at U-Texas-Arlington. Authorship of research articles and public information dissemination may begin thereafter. Grant is expected to be completed by July 2025.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obj. 1: Construct a prototype VR greenhouse interface with an integrated environmental control system. The VR greenhouse prototype training software is completed. Industry leaders participating in the research would not permit integration with a real environmental control system. However, the VR prototype does demonstrate how a realistic computer-based operation within a greenhouse does function. Obj. 2: Develop a VR greenhouse curriculum narrative for immersive, episodic classroom education. The initial training materials developed for classroom immersive training has been delivered to UofTexas-Austin for testing. Students can engage in either a 2D or 3D version of the software. Training videos and textbooks are provided. UT-A will also provide up to 2 lab assistants to teach students functional use of the VR prototype. Obj. 3: Assess VR-based training and document best practices. A conference presentation on VR-based training for agriculture was presented and documented in prior annual reports. Following the 2024 fall testing of the VR prototype, more results and best practices will be published.
Publications
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Progress 07/15/22 to 07/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:There is no change to our target audience. This project is for workforce and scientific development of virtual reality training tools; especially greenhouse environmentally controlled systems. Changes/Problems:There were some Covid-related delays on this last cycle. Delta and Omicron spurts had different team members indisposed. However, we believe we are past these hurdles and are just beginning to close ranks on the last details of the grant project. We have asked for a 1-year No Cost Extension and have been approved for the extension; ending in the next reporting period (12 months). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Test the final VR in the classroom and publish the results. We expect to close this project as of May 2024.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We have completed the final version of the FGT Greenhouse virtual reality training tool and will sign off from Pulseworks on 5/24/2023. During the 2023 summer, the student testing protocol will be written up and the virtual reality will be introduced into the classroom as of Fall 2023 semester. Testing will begin on the tool within 5 weeks of the start of the semester (August 18). Testing will continue for 9 weeks to the completion.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Training, Education, and Learning Sciences, Vol. 59, 2022, 18
doi: 10.54941/xxxxxx
Student Perceptions of Traditional and
Simulated Learning in Greenhouse
Management
Abigail Werner, Shuchisnigdha Deb, Rafia Rahman Rafa,
Amelia A.A. Fox, Richard L. Harkess,
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Progress 07/15/21 to 07/14/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The USDA FACT Grant team for Future Grower Technologies (FGT) Greenhouse has made significant progress in completing the stated grant goal outcomes. We are currently in the 2nd iterative phase of intial testing with new updates to the virtual reality program due again on May 15. I will travel to Texas in May to test the 3rd phase of development, and then move to finalizing the product for beta-testing in the classroom between August 2022 and December 2023. The current virtual reality (VR) greenhouse model grows lettuce, tomato, and spinach in response to temperature changes indoors. Users can plant, feed, water, and treat their crops with a fogger to prevent disease. Prior to crop establishment, users must engage with an environmental control system that simulates temperatures and the associated costs to grow their crop indoors. At the end of a growing cycle, the VR will calculate total biomass successfully produced to market standards and assign a price of the crop, where it marketed. Moreover, we plan to add new open-source tools as they come available to help users calculate the cost of lighting, heating, and cooling for indoor production. We expect this basic program development to lead to much larger efforts in crop simulation and are forming a working group to develop a progressive and dynamic program with other universities. Changes/Problems:No changes in approach to the problem or goal outcomes have been made. However, we are on a 1-year extension until June of 2023, so as to complete the primary beta-testing of the software training tool. We will initiate an second 1-year extension in 2023 for TESTING PURPOSES only. The fall 2023 Greehouse Production horticulture course is our primary testing forum at Mississippi State University for the virtual reality. Up to fall 2023, we will be beta-testing on non-horticultural students (aka agronomy students) or on those students who have already taken the Greenhouse Production course. We expect to expand the fall 2023 testing to the University of Arkansas campus as well. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?No professional development is needed at this time. Between visits to Pulseworks, the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at MSU, and UofTexas Arlington, most needed technology training is being provided within the team. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We are being very careful to only share the most minimum information until the final programming iteration is completed. Already, through limited public exposure, our project has garnered great interest and the exposure is very, very distracting. However, the team was recently approached by two universities who wish to expand on the final end product and ratchet a new set of research goals for agriculture up several notches. The interest in a new collaboration has been referred to the current FACT Grant partners and the Mississippi State University offices of technology managment and sponsored projects for advisement. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Final programming iterations, and much needed classroom beta-testing to finalize the pedogogical outcomes for the virtual reality training tool. I plan to take summer work off from teaching and only work on this project. Moreover, I am abdicating some teaching responsibilities in the next 2 years so that I can carry this ball over the goal line.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1 is nearly completed. Ongoing are Objective #2 & #3 as the goals are intricately tied to Obj. #1. Our major delay in Obj. #1 was the lack of working growth models to emulate plant growth. This major inhibiting factor was overcome by the CAVS team by which they were able to program in 'Unreal' documented and peer-reviewed growth models that simulate real-time growth in a virtual reality. A second delay was Covid and currently we are still battling supply chain limitations for virtual reality technology. However, we have recently located a Dell reseller who seems to avert supply chain limitations and can get us products, although slightly delayed. For the next 5 months, the Human Factors team in Texas, Pulseworks, and the PI will be working to finalize the end-product for beta-testing in the classroom over an 18-month period. Currently, the classroom is being fitted for virtual reality in Dorman Hall at Mississippi State University. The classroom will also be made available for other College of Ag. & Life Sciences faculty who are also using virtual reality in their teaching.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Deb, Shuchi et al. 2022. AHFE Conference, NY, NY. July 24.
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Progress 07/15/20 to 07/14/21
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:Amazingly, the disruptions caused by Covid have allowed us to make major progress on this project as we began operating in an online fashion and worked stealtfully towards our goals. All is all, we are pleased with our progress. One remaining concern is to learn if the environmental control company (Wadsworth) will move forward with the project. If they choose to opt out, there is no reason the project cannot move ahead without them. We have discovered a simple work around that will facilitate our project goals without industry. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?No results will be disseminated until the final prototype testing is conducted. However, some of the integration tools (environmental control technology in a VR) was shared at the Copenhagen conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We hope to complete Obj. #2 by fall 2021 and get the VR tool into the classroom for final testing.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1 has been completed. Objective 2 is currently being developed. The PIs will meet online on May 3, 2021 to verify the classroom modules and discuss final tools before completion of the models. We are setting a goal to have the 3D VR emersion experience in the classroom for testing during the 2021-22 university session (Obj 3). We believe the project is on target for completion on time.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
User Interface for an Immersive Virtual Reality Greenhouse for Training Precision Agriculture. Springer Publisher http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49698-2_3
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
https://www.futuregrowers.cals.msstate.edu/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2021/02/msu-virtual-reality-initiative-help-future-growers-navigate-high-risk-ag
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Progress 07/15/19 to 07/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Industry providers related to development of virtual reality tools. Includes greenhouse environmental control manufacturer and virtual reality production company. Changes/Problems:Several factors are at play but most are related to Covid-19. They are as follows: Necessary electronic technology needed to build and test the project in the classroom is on back order with no anticipated future delivery. Our university 2020-21 school year is not expected to be "normal" whereby many face-to-face classes will be forced to online or hybrid status in order to serve populations shut out of school. It is critical that we test the project tools live with students. In all facets of our project, both university and industry partners have lost critical employees and we are man-power limited. This includes Computer programmers, Graphic artists, and IP/content experts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination in year one is to the HDI Conference (Copenhagen, Denmark) now a virtual conference in July. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Need to relate the 2D virtual model to actual envronmental control system through vegetative modeling. Then ship to Pulseworks for rendering and creating the emmersive training systems.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For Objective 1: initiated industry contacts and engaged specialists in developmental process. Met bi-monthly to expand project development. At end of year one, will have completed a basic prototype software in 2D that exhibits tomatoes, spinach, and lettuce growing in greenhouse.
Publications
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