We were glad to welcome U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly to Penn State Behrend for a tour of VAR Lab. Rep. Kelly met with our Director, Dr. Christopher Shelton, and our student researchers, who showed him the first free, high-resolution digital twin of the Liberty Bell. Our team created the digital twin in partnership with the
Our Director, Dr. Christopher Shelton, and visiting researcher Jumin Seo spent a day at the University of Michigan's AI & Mental Health Conference, hosted by the Michigan Institute for Data and AI in Society (MIDAS). Much of the day stayed focused on the harder questions around actually using AI in mental health. The question wasn't
Congratulations to our Director, Dr. Christopher Shelton, associate professor of clinical psychology, on receiving Penn State Behrend's Council of Fellows Excellence in Research Award as part of the college's 2025–26 Council of Fellows awards. Reflecting on the recognition, Dr. Shelton said the research he has enjoyed most "has usually been the kind that doesn't stay
Through a connection with Innovation Commons at Penn State Behrend, we had the opportunity to support Emily and her dad, Thad, in creating a more accessible solution for her custom footwear needs. Because Emily has a leg length difference, she requires custom shoes, which can be incredibly expensive to produce. Using the Space Spider structured
As part of her Fulbright research at the VAR Lab, Bibiana Mayer Steckel is leading a project focused on understanding brain activity during immersive virtual reality experiences. Together with Dr. Christopher R. Shelton, in collaboration with Dr. Erica Edwards, and with the support of Maya Alhasan, the team is investigating best practices for EEG data
The other day our director Christopher R. Shelton and student researcher Remington Orange used an Artec Eva structured light scanner to 3D scan the replica of the Liberty Bell in the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center (AMIC). This was a project with Jon Young at University Park as part of their research exploring frequencies based
The VAR Lab was proud to partner with Young Erie Professionals for an engaging evening focused on the intersection of technology and mental health. Attendees had the opportunity to experience three interactive VR stations designed to highlight the power of virtual reality in supporting wellbeing: • Mindfulness & Relaxation - immersive environments promoting presence and
Have you seen a new robot dog roaming around campus and wondered who he is? That’s BenBen! He’s the VAR Lab’s Unitree Go2 Pro. Our Director Chris Shelton took him out for a walk around campus to meet his new friend Millie! To our students, BenBen is more than a piece of technology—he’s a
It's time to make it official! Lauren Cass submitted the evidence to Guinness World Records to verify her record of spending 55 hours watching content in virtual reality. Keep your fingers crossed! We're all wishing her the best of luck for it!
At 7:22am on Monday, April 07, Lauren Cass officially set a new world record for longest time spent in VR consuming media (55 hours). Way to go, Lauren!! You can read more about it below: https://www.goerie.com/story/news/local/2025/04/15/guinness-record-virtual-reality-viewing-penn-state-behrend-55-hours/83082701007/ https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/penn-state-student-successful-in-attempt-to-surpass-vr-world-record/
