THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS
A look at where Mohawk is going with augmented and virtual reality
Jomar Gacoscos is focused on bringing augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) into health care settings to improve patient care and outcomes.
A graduate of Mohawk‘s Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapy Assistant program, Gacoscos is working on two AR projects this fall with Hamilton Health Sciences.
One aims to streamline the return-to-work process for patients, while the other will help prevent falls in hospitals and the community.
He‘s been interested in coding since high school and did it mostly as a hobby until a placement at the Regional Rehabilitation Centre at HHS while studying at Mohawk.
“I saw huge demand for technology in the assessment and treatment of occupational therapy patients, like using virtual reality to test reflexes. To see therapy and technology converge in that way motivated me to develop my tech skills,“ he said. “It‘s amazing how much Mohawk is investing in AR/ VR innovation.“
His mentor Stewart Muirhead, owner of 3D Agency, recommended Gacoscos to Tracey Kadish, Mohawk‘s Associate Dean Business and Media Graduate Studies, Applied Research and Entrepreneurship. Mohawk has secured 22 Ontario Centre of Excellence technology vouchers valued at $10,000 per company for various projects including AR and VR projects.
Kadish was immediately impressed by Gacoscos, who has also helped a Niagara winery create a locationbased AR experience.
“He‘s so engaged and passionate about the technology.“
The college has hosted demonstrations for business leaders who may not understand the uses of AR and VR or how Mohawk can help with prototypes and market applications.
“The possibilities really are endless. It‘s useful in any sector, education, supply chain, manufacturing, health care, training, retail, anything you can think of,“ said Kadish.
“I am excited about this and want to bring this new craft to the students so that we can nurture with the skill-sets needed to work in this field.“
In Fall 2019, Mohawk will launch a new Virtual Reality Multimedia graduate program. The program will be the first of its kind in Canada.
Page 15 - Fall 2018 Momentum
https://www.mohawknewsdesk.ca/momentum-magazine---fall-2018/