Timetable and Facilities
Timetable top
The teaching of course sessions will take place on Fridays and Saturdays.
The planned schedule of operations includes attendance at and tutorial help in laboratory sessions during all weekdays.
Core disciplines will operate on the basis of a mandatory presence. Optional disciplines might be undertaken on the basis of non-attendance.
The Course also contemplates using resources such as video conferencing and e-learning in order to support distance learning.
The schedule of operations includes a requirement for continuous evaluation and it requires, therefore, dedication from course members during the whole of the time that the course is running, which includes the need to maintain a satisfactory attendance at the course in order to demonstrate an active professional attitude.
Facilities top
The Course will function primarily in University of Minho facilities at its Azurém Campus in Guimarães. However, it may include activities on Gualtar Campus in Braga or in other locations specifically arranged for the purpose.
The Course will make use of existing equipment – both hardware and software – in the sponsoring departments in the technological areas of Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality. In respect of the equipment needed for video conferênces this will totally satisfied by using infra-struture made availiable by the Torga.Net Project, which has two AccessGrid rooms for this purpose located one each, respectively, on Gualtar Campus, Braga and Azurém Campus, Guimarães.
Among the equipment available for the Course is one Baron Barco table with a Flock of Birds tracking system, one VR data glove, one VR helmet, diverse sensors, one vision system for computers, a variety of immersion glasses, a cluster of four PCs, numerous software applications for the development of areas such as virtual reality, the visualisation of information and digital narratives, as well as digital sound and music.
The Course will make heavy use of e-learning facilities by resorting to work with the e-learning platform of the University of Minho.
Finally, the Course will also benefit from having access to a CAVE system installed by means of a scientífic re-equipment grant project financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (see REEQ/821/PSI/2005).
