Undergraduate Research Internship

Undergraduate XR Research Internship

The Synthetic Reality Lab (SREAL) in the UCF Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) is looking for current UCF undergraduate students interested in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (XR), to partake in a paid Undergraduate XR Research Internship.

This internship, which is supported by a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant from the CISE Directorate of the National Science Foundation (NSF), is intended for individuals pursuing a degree in computer science or computer engineering (Junior/Senior level).

The intern will work closely with staff and students at the Synthetic Reality Lab (SREAL) in the IST Partnership III building, having weekly meetings, sharing code, analyzing data, working on research papers and providing input into the user studies conducted. The intern would be considered a full member of SREAL.

The expectation is that the intern would be able to commit at least 10 hours a week to the project, or more if possible. The internship would typically last one semester but could be extended to two semesters.

Typical Internship Activities:
  • Use Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) systems
  • Use Unity3D to create virtual environments for testing VR/AR projects
  • Assist in the design and implementation of VR/AR research studies
  • Attend weekly meetings with team members and provide updates on progress
  • Communicate and collaborate with team members including other undergraduate/graduate students

No one internship is the same — as our projects evolve, so do the project-related activities. We also try to tailor the activities to the interests of the intern if possible. Here are some examples of past research intern activities:

  • Developed custom shaderlab shaders for use in Unity
  • Created C# scripts in Unity to display randomized UI styles for user studies
  • Created mobile user interface screens using Flutter and Google's UI framework/language
  • Worked on an ASMR in VR project
  • Created a scale 3D model of the UCF student union using blender
  • Developed a networked application using Photon for sharing and visualizing the gaze behavior of multiple HoloLens users
  • Developed means for controlling Internet of Things (IoT) devices via a 3D user interface on the HoloLens
  • Ported gesture recognition code to work from a first-person perspective on the HoloLens
  • Implemented a Unity project to stream web imagery to a HoloLens in real time via use of OBS and virtual cameras
  • Prototyped a physical-virtual environment to allow simultaneous viewing of a user’s reflection and their avatar in a mirror
Qualifications:

Please only apply for this internship if you meet the following qualifications:

  • Current UCF computer science or computer engineering student at the Junior/Senior level
  • Good understanding of 3D Computer Graphics
  • Proficiency with Unity3D and C#/C++
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively, and use critical thinking to assess and help solve assigned problems
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with Python
  • Experience developing for the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality head-mounted display
  • Experience with developing and running human-subject research (user studies)
Internship Duration:
  • Interns accepted on a rolling basis (flexible)
  • Duration of one–two semesters (typical)
Time Commitment:
  • The expectation is that the intern would be able to commit at least 10 hours a week to the project, or more if possible
  • The internship would typically last one semester but could be extended to two semesters
Students Needed:
  • One–two students
Benefits:
  • Work closely with faculty and graduate students
  • Receive mentoring aimed at growing to become a thought/action leader
  • Valuable experience in developing prototypes with augmented reality head-mounted displays
  • Opportunities to participate in publications at leading conferences and journals
  • Possibility for Independent Research Credit
Initial Contact (Required):
  • If you are interested and meet the above qualifications, please email Professor Greg Welch at welch@ucf.edu prior to applying
  • In this contact email include a brief synopsis of your background and interests
  • Only if you are invited to move forward with the application process, please do so as follows
Application (Invited):
  • Send cover letter and curriculum vitae/resume (no page limit) to Professor Greg Welch at welch@ucf.edu
  • Cover letter should include motivation, perceived fit with the internship, and any specific interests
  • Please send your CV/resume in the form of a PDF file (not Word)