VRScan3D Project

Oldenburg.Valencia. An international team of students has carried out practical training at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) using a terrestrial laser scanner simulation program, with virtual reality, developed within the framework of the VRScan3D project.

The group, made up of three students from the Kyiv University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KNUCA), three students from the Dnipro Technical University (DNTU) - in the case of both Ukrainian universities, six women, due to the existing restrictions on men leaving the country at war -, three students from the University of Bamberg, three students from the Jade University of Applied Sciences and two students from the UPV, is led by a lecturer from each of these universities and two Ukrainian Research Assistants, Iuliia Horkovchuk and Denys Gorkovchuk, KNUCA lecturers currently employed by the UPV, who have been the organizers of this workshop held at the UPV's Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry Department, and funded by the German Academic Exchange Service.

During the workshop, the team of students used the laser scanner simulation software VRScan to perform real 3D scans of the interior of the building of the School of Engineering in Geodesy, Cartography and Surveying of the UPV, with 4 different teams.

Professional growth and establishment of international synergies

"The project's overall aim," explains Dr Horkovchuk, "was to practically test a training tool, the VRscan3D terrestrial laser scanner simulator, for training surveyors. The students had the opportunity to practice the skills acquired through virtual reality in real life by surveying the School of Engineering in Geodesy, Cartography and Surveying buildings with real equipment.

"After completing all stages of the training," adds the KNUCA and UPV Research Assistant, "we received detailed feedback from the students about working with the VRScan3D software and their impressions of the group work. The project approach and teamwork contribute to raising the professional level and establishing international relations, which is especially valuable nowadays. The opportunity to gain experience in applied work is significant for students from Ukraine who are forced to study in the context of an active military conflict".

Kateryna Terebeichyk, a KNUCA student participating in the project, said, "I am very grateful to everyone for the opportunity. This project week in Valencia has been great; definitely one of this term's most educational and exciting events. We have worked in groups of three people from different countries, and also getting experience with laser scanning is a great advantage, because in Ukraine we don't have such equipment at the university. We were able to work thoroughly with a terrestrial laser scanner, as well as the first steps of post-processing data: joining and registration of a point cloud. Obviously, learning in virtual reality has entailed some difficulties, but it has been an exciting experience for which I am very grateful”.