· Mixed ability people can use VR (virtual reality) headsets to see the accessible nature of tall ships.

· A VR view, an app tour, and a 3D printed model of one of the ships enables users to see if they’d be comfortable on board, then they can do it in reality

· WMG at the University of Warwick have carried this out for the Jubilee Sailing Trust, who want to get more people out on the ocean

People with a range of abilities can use VR headsets to experience what it’s like on board one of the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s ships to encourage them to explore their ability and participate in a life changing voyage thanks to an app made by WMG student Tanin Aparimarn at the University of Warwick.

The Jubilee Sailing Trust want to encourage more mixed ability people to sail on their fully accessible tall ships, prompting WMG, University of Warwick student Tanin Aparimarn to make a 3D printed version of a ship, a VR experience and an app tour for mixed ability people to experience what it’s like on board.

The 360-degree VR views are of two ships: STS LORD NELSON & SV TENACIOUS.

The VR headset used is a simple cardboard one available to purchase for around £5 online, and enables the user to select an avatar either standing or at wheelchair level to look around the ship as you would in reality, demonstrating what it would be like on board the ship.

An app tour enables the avatar to move around the ship as they would wish, this way the user can experience what it would be like to move around the ship and experience the environment around them beforehand.

Tanin also made a 3D printed, scale version of the tall ship STS LORD NELSON that is 450mm long, complete with 3 masts and removable decks which allows a visually impaired user to get a tactile sense of where everything is on board.

Tanin Aparimarn, from WMG at the University of Warwick comments:

“Using modern technologies such as VR and 3D printing will hopefully encourage more people to take up sailing with the Jubilee Sailing Trust, as now they’ve been able to experience what it would be like on board thanks to the VR experience and the app tour, and they can see what they ship would look like physically because of the 3D printed model.

“I hope that in the future all sorts of tourist destinations and attractions can use VR to encourage people to visit them, as VR offers a more interactive experience than looking at photos.”

Andy Spark, Head of Programmes from the Jubilee Sailing Trust comments:

“Tanin’s work is great. Many people with disabilities need to know that the accessibility on board our tall ships is suitable for their needs any and generally it’s not expected a large sailing ship would be!

“However, the JST is unique as it has two purpose designed and built tall ships to allow people of all abilities (including wheelchair users) to be able to sail on equal terms. The VR tours and the tactile model of the ship Tanin has created will greatly assist the JST to showcase its vessels to those that can gain so much from a voyage experience with us.”

ENDS

21 MAY 2019

NOTES TO EDITORS

High-res images available, credited to the University of Warwick, at:

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/may2019/ship_15.jpg

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/may2019/ts_1.jpg

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/may2019/ts2.jpg

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/may2019/ship_10.jpg

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/communications/medialibrary/images/may2019/ship_07.jpg

About WMG
WMG is a world leading research and education group and an academic department of the University of Warwick, established by Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya in 1980 in order to reinvigorate UK manufacturing through the application of cutting edge research and effective knowledge transfer.

WMG has pioneered an international model for working with industry, commerce and public sectors and holds a unique position between academia and industry. The Group’s strength is to provide companies with the opportunity to gain a competitive edge by understanding a company’s strategy and working in partnership with them to create, through multidisciplinary research, ground-breaking products, processes and services.

Every year WMG provides education and training to schoolchildren through to senior executives. There is a growing part-time undergraduate programme for apprentices, as well as full-time undergraduates. The postgraduate programmes have over 2,000 students, in the UK and through centres in China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Cyprus

For more information visit www.wmg.warwick.ac.uk

About Jubilee Sailing Trust
The Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) is a registered charity whose mission is to promote the integration of people of all abilities through the challenge and adventure of tall ship sailing aboard two very special ships, Lord Nelson and Tenacious. We have a unique mission, to give people of mixed abilities and circumstances the freedom to explore their ability, potential and place in the world through inclusive adventures at sea.

For more information visit www.jst.org.uk

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of Warwick
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 574 255 or +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

For further information please contact:

Alice Scott 
Media Relations Manager – Science 
University of Warwick 
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 574 255 or +44 (0) 7920 531 221 
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk