In December 2021, ripplecreate worked together with Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) Singapore to organise a virtual science and technology camp, titled “Young Defence Scientist Programme” (YDSP). The purpose of this camp is to inspire students to pursue coding, science or mathematics-related studies.

The theme of this year’s YDSP revolves around Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Throughout the five-day camp, participants got to engage with a myriad of defence science and technology-themed activities. From meeting multiple industry professionals to acquiring deep insights about the AR/VR industry, the stage was set for the students to have a go at creating their very first VR experience!

Virtual reality is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment, education and business. In our current context, the use of VR has helped to enhance students’ learning and prepare them for real-world careers. This has allowed educators and students to be exposed to experiences that are out of reach in their physical environment. In a virtual environment where anything is possible, VR users can gain the experience they will never have gotten elsewhere and perform high-stake tasks safely without injuries or physical damage.

Students explored various virtual and augmented reality applications in defence. They had fun building virtual environments using a VR coding platform. In addition, the students picked up a new skill of coding as they worked towards a competition showcase on the last day of camp. They learned block-based coding which is a great starting point for those who are new to coding. From the start to the end of the programme, our ripplecreate trainers guided the participants very closely to impart as much knowledge as possible in the short period of time. The participants showed great resilience and teamwork as they worked together in groups to bring their ideas to life. We were pleasantly surprised on the last day of the camp when the students shared their interesting and innovative ideas of applying VR into the real world.

The 5-days camp ended on a high note! We were glad to see the participants enjoying themselves while preparing for the competition showcase. The students’ enthusiasm and passion for learning coding were infectious! The trainers thoroughly enjoyed teaching them. ripplecreate is honoured to be a part of their coding journey. We look forward to watching what these young minds have to offer in the future!