The HIVE, 3D for Education

 Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and Discovery World Museum (DWM) teamed up to develop Wisconsin's most progressive center for research and education in multimedia and other emerging interactive technologies. The HIVE (Hybrid Interactive Virtual Education), located at DWM features a cluster of futuristic pods that provides teaching space for MATC and an attraction for Discovery World visitors. The HIVE is an enclosed chamber that uses computers, projectors, screens, 3-D technology plus motion tracking and uses EON Reality's software to create about 30 simulated virtual environments to run in the HIVE, such as the solar system and a Portuguese landscape. Museum experts and MATC faculty and students are designing other simulations.

The HIVE didn't just convey a few astronomy facts to the students. It also got them interested in learning more about the topic back in class. That impulse to keep learning after leaving Discovery World is what the museum is all about," said Discovery World CEO Joel Brennan. “We want the public to take advantage of this technology. It's a unique learning opportunity, and it's pretty amazing."