A serious game that lets you dive into the heart of oceanography without getting wet

Developed by the University of Liège's digital tools research centre as part of the Teaching with VR programme, VIOsEA (VIrtual OcEAnography tour) offers a unique immersion into the profession of oceanography. Designed as part of STARESO, the University of Liège's underwater and oceanographic research station located in Calvi (Corsica), this educational tool allows users to virtually explore the behind-the-scenes world of marine research, on land, at sea and aboard a research vessel.

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imed primarily at students on the Master's degree course in oceanography (the only one of its kind in French-speaking Belgium) but open to a wider audience, VIOsEA offers free navigation in a faithfully reconstructed 3D environment. "Users can interact with equipment, take samples or even compare the virtual experience with reality thanks to the integration of panoramic photos and videos taken from the quay, during a dive or on board a Zodiac," explains Michaël Schyns, the lead r of the Teaching with VR programme.

For more than fifty years, the University of Liège has been recognised for its major role in the development of oceanography, both through the quality of its teaching and the excellence of the scientific research carried out there. In a context marked by climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development issues, oceanography appears to be a key discipline for understanding and anticipating global transformations: ocean acidification, greenhouse gases, melting glaciers and rising sea levels.

Responding to the vagaries of the weather

In addition to its educational value, VIOsEA also addresses a practical constraint: field activities in oceanography are highly dependent on weather conditions and cannot be organised without risk to novice students. "New students have little experience and varying swimming abilities," explains Prof. Sylvie Gobert, oceanographer at ULiège and academic director of STARESO. In this context, we cannot expose them to risks, whether diving or at sea. VIOsEA therefore offers a safe and flexible alternative for introducing students and researchers to oceanography methods, while maintaining scientific realism."

Whether you are an oceanography student or simply curious to discover the marine world, immerse yourself virtually in the world of STARESO and explore oceanographic research as if you were there.

About of the Teaching with VR programme – CARE digital tools

CARE Numérique (Cellule d'Appui à la Recherche et à l'Enseignement à l'aide du Numérique) is a structure at the University of Liège dedicated to supporting teaching staff in the use and thoughtful integration of digital technology in teaching practices. Teaching with VR is one of the programmes managed by CARE, specialising in the use  virtual reality ofand augmented reality to support teaching and research. It is led by Professor Michaël Schyns in his laboratoryresearch and development .

CARE digital tools

AR/VR Lab (Management IT Department)