Top 5 Virtual Research Communities for Researchers

The Best Resources for VR Research

Continuous Learning or Constant Learning has become more important than ever before. In such an unprecedented environment, where a pandemic has taken a toll on every academic institution and business, Research & Development is one of the areas that has been impacted the most.

In the last few months, researchers haven’t been able to conduct research studies due to the closure of labs/research centers across the globe. Needless to say, there is a need to find a digital alternative for research work..

In this article, we will be exploring the top 5 Virtual Research Communities where Researchers can communicate, collaborate and find opportunities to kickstart their research work.

1. iLRN

The first of the top 5 virtual research communities for researchers is The Immersive Learning Research Network or iLRN. iLRN is an international organization that focuses on the advancements of immersive learning and brings together researchers, academicians, developers and educators to enhance research work using immersive technologies such as VR/AR.

2. Educators in VR

Educators in VR brings together various groups of researchers, educators and VR enthusiasts to explore possibilities of shared collaboration in an immersive environment. In addition to that, they provide VR events, training and workshops to foster the growth of immersive learning. It consists of a team of experts who are dedicated to imparting necessary education on immersive technologies and its applications across different sectors.

3. XRDRN

XRDRN is an online platform for researchers to upload research studies and find participants for their research. It is maintained by Ph.D. candidates Jack Ratcliffe and Francesco Soave. The idea was born out of the need for researchers to publicize their projects and find participants to participate in their research work.

4. Virtual World Society

Virtual World Society’s main focus is to collaborate with the organization and experts in exploring various possibilities of VR/AR that can have a greater impact on education across schools, families and communities. Since their inception in 2015, they have conducted various projects to explore education use cases. Secondly, they have conducted projects to bring immersive technologies to the refugees and underprivileged sections of society.

5. XR Creators

XR Creators is an online platform for researchers and VR enthusiasts to help them create the most immersive and interactive experiences. It consists of two courses; XR Foundation and Advanced Master Classes. The former is specifically designed for the designers, game developers, managers and coders who want to learn how to prototype XR Applications and learn the foundations of VR/AR development, while the latter is for those looking to building industry-level projects.

Bonus: The Research Access Portal

Similar to the XRDRN, XpertVR has created the Research Access Portal so researchers can upload research studies and find participants for their research. The added benefit of the Portal is that you can filter your demographic so participants are automatically notified of your study. Everything from data collection to payment is then handled by the portal so all you have to worry about is publishing papers!