rewrite this title Ohio University, HTC VIVE and Virtualware partner to accelerate Ohio’s manufacturing economy

Athens, Ohio, May 1, 2025 – Ohio University, HTC VIVE, and Virtualware have partnered to launch a new program called the Digital Enterprise Collaboratory (DEC), which will provide infrastructure to power new digital engineering and workforce development programs to support the growing demand for advanced manufacturing in Ohio.

The partnership combines Ohio University’s leadership in engineering education, HTC VIVE’s industry-leading XR hardware and software technologies, and Virtualware’s enterprise XR platform VIROO. The project will provide Ohio University with the technology infrastructure and capabilities needed to accelerate product development, research, and workforce development by enabling real-time collaboration between disparate university, industry, government, and Department of Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) members using the latest digital engineering & immersive technologies.

The program will also expand Ohio University’s existing manufacturing training and certification programs to support the growing demand for new factory workers.

“This program represents a bold step forward in immersive digital engineering,” said Scott Miller, associate dean for Industry Partnerships at Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology. “By integrating XR technology into our educational and research programs, we are preparing the next generation of engineers to think spatially, act collaboratively, and solve real-world problems. Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest industry sector that is contributing 17.5% of the state’s GDP and we need to prepare our local workforce for the new jobs in advanced manufacturing.”

“HTC VIVE is proud to be part of this initiative that puts immersive technology at the heart of innovation and education,” said Daniel O’Brien, President Americas at HTC VIVE. “With these new labs, Ohio University is positioning itself as a leader in Industry 4.0.”

John Cunningham, President of Virtualware USA adds “The state of Ohio is home to many manufacturers and will soon be home to new advanced technology factories being built by Intel and Anduril, who need an estimated 7,000 new workers. Ohio University has been asked by the State and manufacturing companies to find ways to help accelerate product development using digital engineering methods and to develop workforce development initiatives using the latest technologies. Our VIROO platform integrated with HTC’s XR solutions provides Ohio University with infrastructure that can be used for many different purposes and years to come.”

Ohio University faces a key challenge, enabling engineers, researchers, and end users to collaborate in real time and in 3D across its geographically separated campuses. Athens and Dayton, located two and a half hours apart by car, currently require physical travel for collaboration. While many end users, such as the U.S. Air Force and Intel, are based in Dayton, much of the University’s research takes place in Athens. The implementation of the DEC is set to bridge that gap, helping accelerate research and product development.

The DEC infrastructure consists of two new laboratories located at the Athens Campus and at the OHIO facility in Dayton, located within the Digital Transformation Center (DTC). These labs are connected through the VIROO Enterprise XR platform and are equipped with virtual reality equipment and software tools. Users can collaborate, share projects, product prototypes, and even create digital twins in real time, either from within the labs or from remote desktops, classrooms, or homes. The University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) operates the DTC and has partnered with Ohio University to develop and launch the DEC’s Dayton location, furthering the DTC’s mission as a collaborative innovation hub that drives innovation, fuels workforce development, and fosters cross-sector collaboration among academia, industry, and government.

The DEC will officially open on May 5 at the Athens Campus and on May 7 in Dayton.  The Dayton DEC opening will be part of the evening event hosted at the DTC during the Dayton Digital Transformation Summit, a regional event focused on innovation and technology in manufacturing and workforce development.