Virtual reality for large-scale laboratories based on colorized point clouds: design and pedagogical impact

TL;DR

This paper presents a WebVR virtual laboratory built from colorized point clouds, enhancing engineering education through immersive, interactive, and accessible remote lab experiences with positive user feedback.

Contribution

It introduces a novel WebVR approach combining Unity and Potree for high-fidelity, browser-based virtual labs with interactive features and safety simulations.

Findings

100% of users rated interface/navigation as good or excellent

88.6% identified scene realism as a key strength

74.3% reported higher engagement than traditional labs

Abstract

Effective laboratory training is essential in engineering education, yet conventional on-site instruction is often constrained by time, accessibility, and safety considerations. To ad-dress these challenges, this study presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based virtual reality (WebVR) representation of a large-scale engineering laboratory constructed from massive colorized point cloud data. This study proposes a novel WebVR approach that integrates Unity and Potree for high-fidelity point-cloud visualization com-bined with advanced interactive capabilities in a browser-based virtual laboratory. It supports immersive first-person exploration, guided navigation, interactive hotspots con-veying equipment and safety information, as well as emergency evacuation simulations. The usability, usefulness, and acceptance of the virtual laboratory were evaluated through an anonymous questionnaire administered to students and laboratory staff. User evalua-tion results indicated consistently positive feedback, with 100% of respondents rating the interface/navigation and visual/interactive content as good or excellent, 88.6% identifying scene realism as the biggest system strength (the most frequently selected), 74.3% reporting significantly higher engagement compared with traditional online laboratory training, and 82.9% indicating they would definitely recommend the system as a learning resource. In addition, a thematic analysis of qualitative feedback was performed to inform future enhancements of the WebVR environment. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the WebVR-based virtual laboratory can effectively complement conventional on-site labora-tory instruction, offering a scalable, accessible, and low-risk platform that enhances learning experiences in engineering education.