The first virtual twin of a chemistry laboratory dedicated to training developed by MIMBUS and the Cnam
MIMBUS officially announces the release of the first virtual twin of a chemistry laboratory: MIMBUS Chemistry. MIMBUS Chemistry. This launch takes place during the EDUCAUSE conference, which each year reveals the major trends for higher education.
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to develop higher education using information technology. Each year, EDUCAUSE organizes the world’s largest conference dedicated to higher education, which acts as a true showcase of innovation for training and highlights innovative educational projects to follow.
This year, the work of the Cnam team was selected by the EDUCAUSE 2022 scientific committee to be presented to the community during a conference.
The project of the Cnam called CAP’VR gave rise to MIMBUS Chemistry, the first immersive educational tool for training in chemistry for students in the chemical, pharmaceutical and agri-food industries.
And to provide the most realistic and seamless experience for chemistry students, MIMBUS Chemistry is available with the HP Reverb G2 headset from HP.
Practical work in chemistry with virtual reality
The Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers is a pioneer in the digitalization of its training courses and innovation is at the core of its concerns.
CAP’VR was born during the COVID crisis. Despite the confinement, the Cnam had to ensure the continuity of its teaching. The teams succeeded in passing 95% of its courses by distance learning, but the practical work necessarily implied a presence on site that the containment measures did not allow.
As a real precursor, the Cnam launched a project to develop a digital twin of its chemistry laboratory and called upon MIMBUS to design and develop chemistry lab work in virtual reality within the framework of the project called CAP’VR.
Pedagogical objectives to reach
One of the main challenges of the project was to allow students to live an immersive experience in a chemistry laboratory in complete safety.
Indeed, the virtual world makes it possible to simulate dangerous events without putting the students in danger: explosion, breakage of a beaker or emission of toxic vapors, everything is possible to learn good safety practices.
The other important aspect of this project was to be able to follow the students’ learning in virtual reality. This is what MIMBUS offers with VULCAN, the only platform for the analysis of individual and collective competence.
Virtual reality makes it possible to trace the user’s activity during his manipulations. At the end of the exercise, a set of information is communicated to him:
- His general score
- His success or failure in the exercise
- The type of fatal error if present
- The time spent
- The skills developed: protect themselves before entering the laboratory; put themselves in a safe position in the face of danger; recognize the danger they are facing.
Thierry KOSCIELNIAK, national director of digital at the Cnam, testifies: “the immersive virtual practical work is not intended to replace the practical work, but the sessions allow to optimize the occupation time of the laboratory”.
A solution that will grow
The CAP’VR project continues to feed the MIMBUS Chemistry solution after two years of work and development. Three themes of 11 modules are available and allow the discovery, safety and manipulation in the laboratory. The Cnam has integrated for one year (2021-2022) the solution to its training courses.
MIMBUS Chemistry is a real revolution that offers the scientific world a tool to enhance their work and their environment. Learners have already been able to train with MIMBUS Chemistry and the Cnam team has seen the positive effects of this new pedagogical tool.
The presence of the Cnam at the EDUCAUSE 2022 annual conference in Denver, Colorado, is a real opportunity for MIMBUS to deploy the solution internationally and to present it to the largest chemistry schools and laboratories in the world.
MIMBUS Chemistry is a living pedagogical solution that will develop and flourish over the next few years.
