Ohio University is the home of the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab where students, faculty and staff can research and develop games, simulations and animation, among other things. Technologies such as motion capture are also available, making the GRID Lab a very hands-on experience.
But, as we are all aware, COVID-19 continues to proliferate, making it all the more difficult to gain access to in-person activities, especially on a college campus like Ohio University. I want to interview GRID Lab leaders such as director John Bowditch and students who use the technology often, focusing on how they have adapted their use of the lab this past year.
According to Athens News, the lab first opened Feb. 8, 2006 in a building on Court Street, which today holds Fry’d and the Holzer Uptown Clinic.
Interestingly, the lab’s first iteration also included an arcade that was open to the public, but it closed in 2008 following the lab’s move to Scott Quad, The Athens News reported.
Next, I plan to watch the Business of Games Summit on Feb. 23, which is co-hosted by the GRID Lab. The summit will give me more insight about the tools available and the projects being developed at the lab. It will also shed light on the struggles of developing new games and technology with a team during the pandemic.