Institute for Transportation

Go! Magazine (http://www.go-explore-trans.org/) is a free, not-for-profit, online magazine that produces articles about the unique, interesting, crazy, awesome, and expanding world of transportation.

Each month, Go! produces a three-part article series with either an interview with a transportation expert, a book or movie review, a blog entry from one of our staff writers, or information about transportation careers. The best part? Our articles are interesting for readers of all ages.

For April, we produced a Go! Tech Trends article series about how virtual reality is shaping how we use transportation today, including listing the pros and cons of using a piece of technology that was once considered in leagues with science fiction.

Driving the future: What is virtual reality?
In the last 10 years or so, technology like smart phones, tablets, and computers have become an integral part of everyday life. And in today’s world, it isn’t surprising to find out that virtual reality is the next big step. But what does it have to do with transportation? Come with us as we learn about the Oculus Rift and how virtual reality can be used as an educational tool.

Driving the future: The pros of virtual reality
Is virtual reality good or bad for us? Does it live up to the hype, or is it just a passing trend? Come with us as we answer these questions and discuss some of the pros of using virtual reality, in both transportation and beyond. Did you know that this newfound technology is actually used for transportation research? Or that surgeons sometimes use virtual reality during their training? Well, that’s the world we live in today!

Driving the future: The cons of virtual reality
We’ve looked at the pros, but what about the cons? Virtual reality is a growing commodity, and its uses are wide-ranging in our increasingly “techy” world, however, there are some concerns, including health/safety and privacy concerns and some technical issues. For example, if virtual reality can be used for “almost anything,” do you really want to deal with side effects like cybersickness every time you log on your computer?

Dot’s Adventures with Transportation: 3D Printers
“Dot’s Adventures with Transportation: 3D Printers” is directly related to the Go! Tech Trends series posted in December 2015, which looks at how three-dimensional (3D) printers work and how they can benefit the people of tomorrow.

THROWBACK: ‘C6’ virtual reality room ties in transportation research in multiple dimensionsImagine you could capture someone’s reaction during a high-stress moment, such as a firefighter trying to control a house fire. Researchers at Iowa State University are doing just that! In a virtual reality room, known as the “C6,” researchers are studying driver’s reactions in a completely immersive environment.