New building uses space-age devices

With its cutting edge technology, the new University of West Florida School of Science and Engineering building combines the computer science, electrical and computer engineering, physics and mathematics departments for a state-of-the-art learning environment for students.

“The building is designed for project-based learning,” said Sharon Simmons, associate professor and computer science program director. “There’s a lot of high-tech computing equipment.”

The SSE building houses rooms with projection ability, large monitors and good sound systems that help make distance learning less cumbersome. The rooms also employ a “smart podium” device that projects whatever the user writes into other classrooms.

At about 30 feet long and 16 feet tall, one of the most fascinating components of the building is the “holodeck,” the SSE 3-D virtual room. It is basically a 3-D projection system in a huge, dark room.

“This has got big 3-D projectors,” said physics lab manager Bill Caplinger. “They actually had to lower the floor in there to do it.”

There are also conference rooms in the building that have 3-D virtual reality for making conference calls or having meetings with people who are not located in the area.

“It actually projects and you can look at things in 3-D in the center of the room,” Simmons said.

Among other features, the building is environmentally friendly, with special tinted windows and energy-saving lights. It also will include a robot that will give tours of the building and assist students with finding their classes.