Virtually Oxford
A VIRTUAL REALITY internet site about Oxford has been launched by a group of final year chemistry students. It consists of an interactive map and with about 40 photographs, constructed from hundreds of digital images.
Visitors to the site can walk virtually around Oxford and zoom in on areas of their choice. Once within a picture they can rotate round in three dimensions, exploring scenes from different angles.
The site gives a lifelike impression of the city, including images of most main streets and major buildings. You can even see inside many places of interest.
Project co-ordinator Dr Karl Harrison says the main inspiration for the site was the discovery that lots of prospective student did not actually know what Oxford looked like. "Oxford is very different to any other university. Students may just have seen one picture of a college in a prospectus." With the aid of the interactive map, students can find the location of colleges and see how far each is from the city centre.
The virtual tour is part of the chemistry department's highly developed web site, which also includes a virtual laboratory and professor, which guides potential applicants through the undergraduate course.
Check out the site for yourself at www.chem.ox.ac.uk/oxfordtour
16th Nov 2000