Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology became the first university to
run a VR experience shop, making a leap to the market for a challenge.

The "B16 VR Experience Shop", run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, was officially opened on the 17th of February. It transformed the research and development results of teachers and students into a real thing in the market, taking the test by consumers. It will be a precedent for domestic university to integrate R & D, production, and marketing into an operating VR experience shop. Meanwhile, it also set up a personal experience VR technology base for people in South Taiwan. Guests and manufacturers came to attend its grand opening ceremony from Export Zone Management Office of the Ministry of Economic Affair, Taiwan Production and Management Policy Association, Soft-World International Corporation, Brogent Technologies Inc., Eyemax Virtual Reality, etc.

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop, run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: President Chien Tai (middle) and all the honorable guests.】

Virtual Reality (VR) has become a global boom since 2016. It is estimated that global VR output value will reach 11.2 billion US dollars by 2020. World-class manufacturers have very early invested in VR equipment development, but rapid hardware development led to a content shortage. South Taiwan University of Science and Technology, by virtue of leading the development of animation, games, interactive, somatosensory research, is the first university to have made investment in VR content and personnel training to fill the gaps in the industry. The establishment of commercial operation of the B16 VR Experience Shop integrated the development of VR content by teachers and students into a real thing in the consumer market, so that the school's technology, products, and talent can quickly meet the industry standards and the demand of domestic industry in the future for the energy to enter the global VR market.

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: President Chien Tai was having his first VR experience.】

The B16 VR Experience Pavilion is located in the Tainan Cultural and Creative Park, which is operated by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology. After two months of operation and adjustment, it has been officially opened. The shop offers wide range of activities and VR facilities, such as the VR version of the Current Hurry, the challenge of City Guard to players’ fear of height, and the much welcomed Fruit Shooter by children. It also includes last year's award-winning work—Mech Fight, which can help big boys realize their dream of steering battle machines. In addition, there are many other games—such as VR Racing and Alishan Iron Horse— offered by hardware development and content manufacturers. Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology will continue to develop new VR content for consumers to experience virtual reality.

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop, run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: people were experiencing VR games.】

President Chien Tai of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology said that the school has been working in the field of virtual reality for many years. The B16 VR Experience Shop is a “leapfrog challenge" of STUST in the consumer market. STUST has been working behind the scenes over the past few years, only responsible for technology research and development. The lack of direct market feedback and challenges has created a huge gap between research and development and the market. Only by bravely moving into the consumer market and experiencing the challenges in the industry can we know what is more truly the real thing that consumers want and what is the very thing the industry needs. Operating B16 VR experience shop shows the confidence of STUST in developing VR technology R & D and its courage to face the challenges and making constant self-improvement!

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop, run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: President Chien Tai was making a speech.】

Director of the Export Zone Management Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Woon-Kwo Huang, said that last year the office successfully procure the donation of more than one million devices and the establishment of the Somatosensory Content Center at STUST by Brogent Technologies Inc. This year the office will continue its work last year to offer industrial technology and personnel training support, while it makes more efforts in the construction of a software park to become the body of science and technology and promote an important support base.

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop, run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: President Chien Tai (middle), teachers, and the honorable guests.】

Hua-Cheng Chang, Chairman of the Department of Multimedia and Computer Entertainment Science, said that the Somatosensory Content Center at STUST integrated R & D, production, and marketing into a consistent mode of operation, taking the research results of teachers and students into trials with this first investment in the B16 VR Experience Shop. It is based on consumer feedback and correction, and then it shall be authorized to step into the global VR market and gradually establish our own VR content brand. Students not only participate in product research and development and production work, but also move to the front as a service staff, personally taking consumers’ feedback and advice on their products. With this, they will be able to understand the real demands of consumers and thereby correct their own mistakes.

【Opening Ceremony of B16 VR Experience Hall Opening Shop run by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: President Chien Tai (middle), teachers, and the honorable guests.】