SBIR Phase I: Interactive 3D Learning Environment Supporting Higher Education in Immunobiology

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将为建立首个免疫生物学模拟器提供基础，将系统方法与先进的3D交互技术相结合，以学习免疫学。拟议的项目建立在现有的成功的技术平台上，将其从与卓越的制药公司合作的不断扩大的业务扩展到高等教育。免疫生物学涉及复杂的系统，学习免疫学的传统方法感觉就像是用放大镜研究热带雨林;许多迷人的见解和多样性，但热带雨林作为一个生态系统是如何运作的，却迷失在细节中。拟议的项目将使用生物工程范例创建一个虚拟的3-D环境，将免疫系统划分为以非线性方式相互作用的元素，以形成一个响应系统。而不是阅读有关它，学生将体验如何免疫系统的工作原理，通过与这些元素的相互作用。在生命科学中常见的网络系统很难以线性方式学习。先进的3D游戏技术非常适合模拟系统。拟议的项目将把这种强大的技术与基于成人学习原则的信息引擎相结合，以创造体验式学习环境。该项目将允许扩展这一核心技术，以创建交互式免疫生物学模拟。这一互动模拟将可通过互联网访问，并由有成就的免疫学教育工作者进行内容监督，它将为社区学院或其他机构的学生提供这一领域的远程深入资源，这些机构不保留具有这一专业知识的教师。虽然该项目被设计为学习免疫生物学的先进工具，但所描述的系统可以使用相同的核心技术和专业知识在几乎任何复杂的科学主题中复制。该项目的发展将影响生命科学的其他领域，并超越高等教育，并将使这项技术在本科和研究生阶段学习复杂的生命科学方面创造一个范式转变。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will provide the foundation to build a first-of-its-kind immunobiology simulator, combining a systems approach to learning immunology with advanced 3D interactive technology. The proposed project builds on an existing successful technology platform, extending it from an expanding business working with preeminent pharmaceutical companies to higher education. Immunobiology involves complex systems, and the traditional approach to learning immunology can feel like one is studying a rain forest with a magnifying glass; lots of fascinating insights and diversity, yet how the rain forest works as an ecosystem is lost in the detail. The proposed project will create a virtual 3-D environment using a bioengineering paradigm to compartmentalize the immune system into elements that interact in a non-linear fashion to form a responsive system. Instead of reading about it, students will experience how the immune system works by interacting with these elements. Networked systems, which are common in life science, are difficult to learn in a linear fashion. Advanced 3D game technology is well suited to simulate systems. The proposed project will integrate this powerful technology with an information engine, grounded in adult learning principles, to allow the creation of experiential learning environments. This project will allow this core technology to be extended to create an interactive immunobiology simulation. This interactive simulation will be accessible over the Internet and, with content oversight by accomplished immunology educators, it will provide a remote, in-depth resource in this field to students at community colleges or other institutions that do not retain faculty members who have this expertise. While this project is designed as an advanced tool for learning immunobiology, the system described can be replicated in virtually any complex science topic using the same core technology and expertise. The development of this project will impact other areas in life science, and beyond, in higher education, and will allow this technology to create a paradigm shift in how complex life science is learned at the undergraduate and graduate level.