A flutter of blue and yellow darts through a field in late May. Trees, shrubs and summer flowers fill the landscape. A blue-winged warbler is just within reach, with one swift motion it can be gently grasped, banded and studied to understand the health and evolution of one of North America's most colorful birds.
A practice once reserved for scientists, this moment is now possible anywhere in the world thanks to a virtual reality experience developed by scientists at Penn State.
The virtual reality (VR) program, named VRmirova, was developed under a five-year U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award earned by David Toews, the Louis Martarano Career Development Professor of Biology in Penn State's Eberly College of Science. Toews partnered with the Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences to conceptualize and advance VRmirova.
