About


The Realities Lab is an environment for students to work with the latest technology in the virtual space. From HTC Vive Pro to OptiTrack motion capture software and hardware, we have the technology for students to experiment and create programs for any space.

In addition, we partner with local universities and businesses to create XR based solutions. A list of publicly viewable projects, along with their descriptions and trailers, are viewable on the projects page. Included on that page is a list of research publications that have come about from professors working with the lab. We’d love for you to take a look!

Below is some general information for the lab. Please visit the contact page for a detailed set of contact information and lab equipment usage rules, or head directly to our schedule page to schedule lab time. For motion capture, we’d greatly appreciate scheduling an appointment at least 24 hours ahead of time and an appointment is required.

Further below is the list of current and past team members, as well as the projects they worked on.


Contact

Please use the Calendar page’s schedule an appointment button and fill out the form or click the below button!

Realities Lab

470-578-4553

Room: J-165

680 Arntson Drive
Marietta, GA, 30060

Days: Monday – Thursday

Friday: Upon email request

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm


Current Team Members:

Joy Li is an Assistant Professor of Computer Game Design and Development at Kennesaw State University since January 2019. She received her Ph.D in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Louisville in 2018. Her main areas of research are: Educational Virtual Realities, Affective Serious Games, and and Healthcare Applications.

Google Scholar Page
CV (PDF)

Sungchul Jung is an assistant professor at the department of Software Engineering and Game Design and Development at Kennesaw State University. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida in 2018. He was a postdoctoral fellow researcher at the Human Interface Technology lab (HIT Lab) in New Zealand, from 2018 to 2021. His research interests lie in the field of extended reality (VR/MR/AR) and human-computer interaction (HCI). In this area, he is particularly interested in the personalized immersive and interactive synthetic environment via improving human perception and cognition. His research focuses on an understanding and analyzing the digital domain with a virtual avatar, sensory feedback, and effective user interface system, using both empirical and statistical examination to effectively deliver the immersion and interaction.

Google Scholar Page
CV (PDF)

Lei Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Computer Game Design and Development at Kennesaw State University since January 2023. He received his degree in Interdisciplinary PhD in Human-Centered Design, focusing on interactive VR storytelling from Virginia Tech. Specialties: Human-Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, Game Design, Game Art, 3D Animation.Specialties: Human-Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, Game Design, Game Art, 3D Animation.

Research Gate Author Page

Kevin Markley is the virtual reality software developer and project manager for the Realities Lab. He graduated from Kennesaw State with a master’s degree in computer science in 2020. His topics of interest and research areas are wide and vary with each new project that the lab undertakes, with current interest in Virtual Reality Education and Immersive Film and Multimedia.

Michael is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. He is an artist assisting on lab projects through visual asset creation, hardware creation, and programming.

Joshua is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects through documenting old projects and programming new functionality.

Johnathan is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Ian is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Neil is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Jaeleon is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Scott is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Bailey is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects, and in particular the CCSE History museum.

Past Team Members:

Rongkai Guo is an Assistant Professor in Department of Software Engineering and Game Development at Kennesaw State University. Guo’s research interests are Serious Gaming, Computer/Mobile Gaming, Virtual Reality (VR), and has been doing research on the VR for rehabilitation project since 2009. Guo conducted the FIRST basic research study IN THE WORLD that formally investigated how VR impacts persons with mobility impairments. Since 2010, Guo and Quarles have discovered that persons with mobility impairments have different reactions to a virtual environment than healthy persons, and have begun to derive generalizable guidelines for accessible virtual environment design, which has been published in peer reviewed scholarly journals.

Website
CV (PDF)

Chao Mei joined the Dept. of Software Engineering and Game Development at Kennesaw State University on Aug. 2016, as an Assistant Professor. He received his Ph.D in Computer Science from the Computer Science Dept. at The University of Texas at San Antonio on Aug. 2016. His Ph.D. advisor is Dr. John Quarles who is the director of the San Antonio Virtual Environment (SAVE) lab. His main research areas are: Human-Computer Interaction – Virtual/Augmented Reality, Special Education, Educational Gaming and Software Engineering.

https://cmeitech.com/
Google Scholar Page
CV (PDF)

Pejman Sajjadi is an Assistant Professor of Computer Game Design and Development at Kennesaw State University since January 2023. Pejman is a researcher with years of experience in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative human-subject experiments, affiliated with the Center for Immersive Experiences (CIE) and Media Effects Research Lab at The Pennsylvania State University. His primary research interests are Human-Computer Interaction, Extended Reality (virtual/augmented/mixed reality), Digital Game-Based Learning, Adaptive Learning Systems, and Embodied Conversational Agents.Pejman is a researcher with years of experience in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative human-subject experiments, affiliated with the Center for Immersive Experiences (CIE) and Media Effects Research Lab at The Pennsylvania State University. His primary research interests are Human-Computer Interaction, Extended Reality (virtual/augmented/mixed reality), Digital Game-Based Learning, Adaptive Learning Systems, and Embodied Conversational Agents.

IEEE Author Page

Jaylin Gillam is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a Degree in Computer Game Design and a Minor in Computer Science. He acted as the project manager for the lab.

Michael is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Computer Game Design. He was one of the lab’s dedicated programmers for all projects.

Matthew is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with two degrees, one in Computer Game Design and the other in Art: Illustration.

Art Station Portfolio

Cole is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Software Engineering, and a minor in Computer Game Design.

Thomas is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Computer Game Design and a minor in Computer Science.

Time spent with the team:   January 2020 – July 2021

Bonga is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. He was a lead programmer assisting on lab projects. Lead programmer and designer on several VR and AR projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2018 – December 2022

Jade is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Computer Game Design. She was an artist assisting on lab projects.

Justin is a graduate from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Computer Game Design. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Adam is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects. Worked to document, update, and maintain several VR projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2021 – August 2021

Nick is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects. Worked on programming and designing several VR experiences and core interactivity, as well as the level design and documentation.

Time spent with the team:   May 2021 – December 2022

Tuan is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects. Worked on programming and designing several VR experiences and interactivity.

Time spent with the team:   August 2021 – December 2022

Alexys is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Digital Animation. She was an artist assisting on lab projects. Created many visual assets, in particular 3D models, for use with several projects.

Time spent with the team:   August 2021 – December 2021

Satchel is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Game Design. She was a programmer and artist assisting on lab projects. Worked on the capture of accurate Geographic data and created visual assets from that data.

Time spent with the team:   August 2021 – December 2022

Irfan is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects and helped document old projects through Confluence.

Time spent with the team:   January 2023 – May 2023

Amir is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He was a programmer assisting on lab projects and helped document old projects through Confluence.

Time spent with the team:   January 2023 – May 2023

David is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He was a programmer and designer assisting on lab projects and helped document old projects through Confluence. Assisted with the creation of speech and text to support the narrative through-line of a project.

Time spent with the team:   January 2023 – May 2023

Krystale is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. She was a programmer and designer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – December 2023

Antonio is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He was a programmer and designer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – December 2023

JaDante is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He was a programmer and designer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – December 2023

JaDante is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He was a programmer and designer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – December 2023

Kalil is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – Spring 2024

Michael is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Game Design and Development. He is a programmer assisting on lab projects.

Time spent with the team:   January 2022 – Spring 2024