Emerging Technologies Institute

ETI eXtended Reality (XR) Lab

The XR Lab (formerly Virtual Reality VR Lab) is a workspace for XR R&D, meetings, demos, exhibits, immersive experiences for faculty, staff and students.

XR Lab Location & Hours - 2026 Winter

Room 4220
Mondays and Tuesdays 2–4 p.m., Wednesdays 3–5 p.m.
Closed during finals week and academic recess. Hours resume Jan. 5, 2026.

Scope of the XR Lab

The XR Lab is used as a space for the following activites:

Explore XR technologies
Test both XR hardware and software
Share information across campus
Provide training for all Foothill College faculty, staff, and students
Support early adopters of XR curriculums
Provide XR exhibits and XR demos in both the Los Altos Hills and Sunnyvale Foothill College campuses
Provide XR exhibits and XR demos for Foothill College events, such as Day On The Hill and Possible Self
Provide XR exhibits and XR demos for Foothill College Science Learning Institute (SLI) sponsored events, including events for youths from various local organziations.

Foothill College XR Lexicon

Various sources provide variations of what Extended Reality (XR) means, as is it a fluid and rapidly evolving technology. Below we provide Foothill College definitions of what XR means, according to our agreed interpretation here at Foothill College, so we all have a common understanding as we build the foundational components of XR Lab.

Definition

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term for technologies that bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Instead of confining digital content to a flat screen, XR "extends" our reality by placing information and objects in the space around us. Whether it is a 3D model on a phone or a headset in this lab, XR transforms the human-computer connection by allowing us to interact with digital worlds in three-dimensional spaces.

XR Categories

We organize these technologies by how they immerse the user and the methods used to control the experience:

- Non-Immersive XR (Desktop): This acts as a window into a digital world. You stay grounded in the physical room while using external controls, like a mouse or keyboard, to navigate a 3D environment on a monitor.
- Semi-Immersive XR (Augmented Reality): AR adds digital layers to the real world. By viewing the world through a smartphone or tablet, you see digital objects fixed in your physical space. Interaction is a hybrid of external and internal controls, such as using a touchscreen while moving the device to see different angles.
- Fully-Immersive XR (Virtual & Mixed Reality): This requires a headset to bridge the gap between you and the computer. Your natural body movements function as the internal controls; the system tracks your head, hands, and eyes to make the digital world react to you in real-time.
- Holographic XR (Projected): This category uses specialized displays or projectors to place 3D images onto physical surfaces, viewable without a headset. Since the content is visible to the naked eye it creates a shared experience for everyone in the room.

Join the XR Club

The eXtended Reality Club is managed exclusively by students, under the supervision of a Faculty Club Advisor. Students run all club-related events, work on projects, assist with campus-wide communication efforts, and have a ton of social fun!