Hands-on laboratory and demonstration equipment with a hybrid virtual/augmented environment, along with their methods of use

A method of producing virtualized laboratory equipment for use in a hybrid reality environment, comprising:

• identifying at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized;
• developing a plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers, wherein each set of markers comprise at least one non-degenerate marker geometry that can be passively optically tracked or at least one digital encoded identity that can be actively optically tracked;
• providing and utilizing at least one optical tracking module for optical tracking of a position and an orientation of the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized and each of their coupled sets of markers, wherein the optical tracking enables a detection of at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction between at least two of the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized;
• coupling the plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers to the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized, wherein the plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers tracked by the optical tracking module and wherein the do not interfere with a tactile manipulation and a use of the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized by a user;
• creating a virtual model, stored in a memory, comprising at least two 3-D virtual representations of the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized and each of their coupled uniquely-identifiable sets of markers;
• utilizing an experimentation module, wherein the experimentation module functions to:
• access the virtual model stored in the memory;
• receive input from the at least one optical tracking module regarding the position and the orientation of the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized;
• determine, based entirely on the input from the at least one optical tracking module, the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction between the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment to be virtualized, at least a portion or part of a user, or a combination thereof;
• determine a consequence of the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction;
• and
• render, to a display, a hybrid representation comprising a particular set of the at least two 3-D virtual representations, at least a part or portion of the user, the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction, the consequence of the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction, or a combination thereof.

A system for utilizing virtualized laboratory equipment in a hybrid reality environment, comprising:

• at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment;
• at least one optical tracking module for optical tracking of a position and an orientation of the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment, wherein the optical tracking enables a detection of at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction between at least two of the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment, and wherein the at least one optical tracking module and the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment are not cost-prohibitive for a science laboratory training application;
• a plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers that are coupled to the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment, wherein each set of markers comprises at least one non-degenerate marker geometry that is passively tracked or at least one digital encoded identity that is actively tracked, wherein each piece of virtualized laboratory equipment is coupled with one set of markers from the plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers, wherein the sets of markers and the at least two pieces of laboratory equipment are entirely optically tracked, wherein the coupling minimizes both interference with a natural tactile manipulation and use of the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment and interference with a real-time optical tracking of the sets of markers, and wherein the size, shape, and bulk of the sets of markers minimizes both interference with the natural tactile manipulation and use of the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment and interference with the real-time optical tracking of the sets of markers;
• a virtual model, stored in a memory, comprising at least two 3-D virtual representations of the two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment and the plurality of uniquely-identifiable sets of markers that are coupled to the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment;
• an experimentation module that:
• accesses the virtual model stored in the memory;
• receives input from the at least one optical tracking module regarding the position and the orientation of the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment;
• determines, based entirely on the input from the at least one optical tracking module, the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction between the at least two pieces of virtualized laboratory equipment, at least a portion or part of a user, or a combination thereof;
• determines a consequence of the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction;
• and
• renders, to a display, a hybrid representation comprising a particular set of the at least two 3-D virtual representations, at least a part or portion of the user, the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction, the consequence of the at least one functionally relevant corresponding interaction, or a combination thereof.