Periodic Reporting for period 1 - XR4ED (eXtended Reality for Education)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30
The European EdTech sector is increasingly vital to digital transformation across all education and training domains. Investments grew by 15% in 2021, with global figures projected to surpass $87 billion by 2030. However, the sector remains fragmented with numerous small players and limited global presence. At the same time, Europe’s XR (Extended Reality) industry leads in software and content production, offering immense potential to enhance skills-based teaching and learning by providing immersive, hands-on experiences. Despite the potential, XR application development for education requires specialised knowledge, significant resources and high costs.
XR4ED (https://xr4ed.eu/(opens in new window)) addresses these challenges by connecting the EdTech and XR communities to create a European reference platform for XR-enabled learning and training. Its mission is to drive innovation, promote inclusivity and overcome fragmentation by establishing a centralised hub for XR solutions. The project is structured around three key objectives:
1 Scientific and Innovation
XR4ED focuses on advancing existing XR technologies TRL4-5 to TRL7, enabling the development of innovative XR applications for teaching, learning and training. A cloud-based, open-access DevOps environment will allow developers to create interoperable XR components, empowering stakeholders to mix, reuse and design new solutions tailored to education.
2. Technological
* XR4ED designs and maintains a sustainable, on-demand education platform that centralises XR solutions while prioritising privacy, ethics and inclusiveness.
* A dedicated working group establishes ethical guidelines, ensuring compliance with EU regulations and protecting users rights. This ecosystem is built on a human-centered approach promoting trust and inclusivity.
3. Business
* Efforts focus on raising awareness, engaging educators, students, parents, and school administrations. Dissemination strategies include blogs, newsletters, and targeted outreach to promote XR4ED’s services.
* XR4ED will deliver a validated, multi-sided platform through demonstrations in areas such as virtual field trips, STEM education, climate awareness, blended learning, and accessibility. Cascade funding will support the development of user-friendly XR systems.
* Additionally, XR4ED will build a dynamic ecosystem of organizations, ensuring continuous innovation and new learning solutions. Open-source software, APIs, hackathons, webinars, and training workshops will engage data scientists, developers, and educators, encouraging community collaboration.
XR4ED (https://xr4ed.eu/(opens in new window)) addresses these challenges by connecting the EdTech and XR communities to create a European reference platform for XR-enabled learning and training. Its mission is to drive innovation, promote inclusivity and overcome fragmentation by establishing a centralised hub for XR solutions. The project is structured around three key objectives:
1 Scientific and Innovation
XR4ED focuses on advancing existing XR technologies TRL4-5 to TRL7, enabling the development of innovative XR applications for teaching, learning and training. A cloud-based, open-access DevOps environment will allow developers to create interoperable XR components, empowering stakeholders to mix, reuse and design new solutions tailored to education.
2. Technological
* XR4ED designs and maintains a sustainable, on-demand education platform that centralises XR solutions while prioritising privacy, ethics and inclusiveness.
* A dedicated working group establishes ethical guidelines, ensuring compliance with EU regulations and protecting users rights. This ecosystem is built on a human-centered approach promoting trust and inclusivity.
3. Business
* Efforts focus on raising awareness, engaging educators, students, parents, and school administrations. Dissemination strategies include blogs, newsletters, and targeted outreach to promote XR4ED’s services.
* XR4ED will deliver a validated, multi-sided platform through demonstrations in areas such as virtual field trips, STEM education, climate awareness, blended learning, and accessibility. Cascade funding will support the development of user-friendly XR systems.
* Additionally, XR4ED will build a dynamic ecosystem of organizations, ensuring continuous innovation and new learning solutions. Open-source software, APIs, hackathons, webinars, and training workshops will engage data scientists, developers, and educators, encouraging community collaboration.
Key Milestones Achieved
• Completion of the Platform Design Phase: Successfully completed the initial design phase, laying a strong foundation for the platform’s development.
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA): Established a comprehensive DPIA methodology, ensuring all data-handling practices are ethical and GDPR-compliant.
• Launch of the XR4ED Marketplace: Developed a digital marketplace for XR assets, providing educators with access to diverse learning resources.
• Dissemination Activities: Engaged in extensive outreach, attracting strong interest from SMEs and educational stakeholders across Europe. (https://xr4ed.eu/latest-news/(opens in new window))
Technical Achievements
The technical development of the XR4ED platform has progressed significantly, with key components such as the XR Module, Intelligent XR Assistant, Asset Creation Tool, FrameVR, and the XR4ED Marketplace nearing completion. The platform’s architecture has been designed with scalability, flexibility, and interoperability, ensuring it can meet the diverse needs of the education sector.
Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)
The project launched FSTP calls, attracting 29 applications and selecting 39 evaluators. The ongoing evaluation process aims to integrate innovative solutions from SMEs and developers into the platform through a comprehensive incubation program.
Open Calls (https://xr4ed.eu/open-calls/(opens in new window))
• Developed detailed documentation for Open Calls, including templates and guidelines.
• Successfully set up application pages and announced calls via the EU Portal, receiving significant interest from experts and developers.
• Built dedicated pages for XR4ED Open Calls on the F6S platform, facilitating easy application processes. (https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-developers/apply(opens in new window) and https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-pilots/apply(opens in new window) and https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-experts/apply(opens in new window))
Future Incubation Program
An intensive incubation program is planned to help successful FSTP applicants integrate their solutions with the XR4ED platform. This program is critical for developing new products and learning services, ensuring the platform’s continuous evolution and relevance in the education sector.
Open-Source Software and APIs
The project has developed open-source software and APIs, enabling external developers and organizations to customise and extend the XR4ED platform, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to technological advancements and user demands.
Research and Data Management
The project has published articles and scientific papers to showcase XR4ED’s innovations, adhering to the H2020 Open Research Data Pilot. The data management plan ensures responsible data collection, processing, sharing and security, following privacy and security standards.
• Completion of the Platform Design Phase: Successfully completed the initial design phase, laying a strong foundation for the platform’s development.
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA): Established a comprehensive DPIA methodology, ensuring all data-handling practices are ethical and GDPR-compliant.
• Launch of the XR4ED Marketplace: Developed a digital marketplace for XR assets, providing educators with access to diverse learning resources.
• Dissemination Activities: Engaged in extensive outreach, attracting strong interest from SMEs and educational stakeholders across Europe. (https://xr4ed.eu/latest-news/(opens in new window))
Technical Achievements
The technical development of the XR4ED platform has progressed significantly, with key components such as the XR Module, Intelligent XR Assistant, Asset Creation Tool, FrameVR, and the XR4ED Marketplace nearing completion. The platform’s architecture has been designed with scalability, flexibility, and interoperability, ensuring it can meet the diverse needs of the education sector.
Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)
The project launched FSTP calls, attracting 29 applications and selecting 39 evaluators. The ongoing evaluation process aims to integrate innovative solutions from SMEs and developers into the platform through a comprehensive incubation program.
Open Calls (https://xr4ed.eu/open-calls/(opens in new window))
• Developed detailed documentation for Open Calls, including templates and guidelines.
• Successfully set up application pages and announced calls via the EU Portal, receiving significant interest from experts and developers.
• Built dedicated pages for XR4ED Open Calls on the F6S platform, facilitating easy application processes. (https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-developers/apply(opens in new window) and https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-pilots/apply(opens in new window) and https://www.f6s.com/xr4ed-call-for-experts/apply(opens in new window))
Future Incubation Program
An intensive incubation program is planned to help successful FSTP applicants integrate their solutions with the XR4ED platform. This program is critical for developing new products and learning services, ensuring the platform’s continuous evolution and relevance in the education sector.
Open-Source Software and APIs
The project has developed open-source software and APIs, enabling external developers and organizations to customise and extend the XR4ED platform, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to technological advancements and user demands.
Research and Data Management
The project has published articles and scientific papers to showcase XR4ED’s innovations, adhering to the H2020 Open Research Data Pilot. The data management plan ensures responsible data collection, processing, sharing and security, following privacy and security standards.
XR4ED has achieved significant progress in addressing fragmentation in the European EdTech and XR industries.
Key advancements include:
• Enhanced XR Capabilities by developing interoperable XR components and raising technological readiness levels, XR4ED enables the creation of cutting-edge, personalised educational applications.
• Sustainable and Inclusive Platforms: the project established a centralised platform that promotes privacy, ethics and inclusiveness, ensuring compliance with EU values and creating a trusted ecosystem for users.
• Digital Marketplace for XR Assets: the launch of the digital market place for XR assets goes beyond traditional approaches, offering educators access to a wide variety of learning resources, thus transforming the way XR content is created, shared and utilised in educational contexts.
• Pan-European Impact: through cascade funding and demonstrations, XR4ED supports diverse use cases such as STEM education, professional training and environmental awareness, positioning Europe as a leader in XR-driven education.
• Community Engagement: XR4ED has supported collaboration through incubation programs, hackathons, and workshops, ensuring widespread adoption and continuous innovation.
By bridging the gap between the EdTech and XR sectors, XR4ED contributes to Europe’s leadership in cutting-edge technologies for education, creating a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative learning ecosystem. Through its centralised platform, the project supports personalised, skills-based and immersive learning addressing real-world educational challenges.
Key advancements include:
• Enhanced XR Capabilities by developing interoperable XR components and raising technological readiness levels, XR4ED enables the creation of cutting-edge, personalised educational applications.
• Sustainable and Inclusive Platforms: the project established a centralised platform that promotes privacy, ethics and inclusiveness, ensuring compliance with EU values and creating a trusted ecosystem for users.
• Digital Marketplace for XR Assets: the launch of the digital market place for XR assets goes beyond traditional approaches, offering educators access to a wide variety of learning resources, thus transforming the way XR content is created, shared and utilised in educational contexts.
• Pan-European Impact: through cascade funding and demonstrations, XR4ED supports diverse use cases such as STEM education, professional training and environmental awareness, positioning Europe as a leader in XR-driven education.
• Community Engagement: XR4ED has supported collaboration through incubation programs, hackathons, and workshops, ensuring widespread adoption and continuous innovation.
By bridging the gap between the EdTech and XR sectors, XR4ED contributes to Europe’s leadership in cutting-edge technologies for education, creating a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative learning ecosystem. Through its centralised platform, the project supports personalised, skills-based and immersive learning addressing real-world educational challenges.