Special
In this interview, Luigi, Chief Operating Officer of NAVE Education, shares how his team is using virtual reality and multiplatform technologies to transform education and training. From overcoming scalability challenges to the seamless integration of Unreal Engine with anitya, Luigi sheds light on how immersive experiences are accelerating the learning process. Learn how NAVE is pioneering new ways to engage students and professionals alike, and get a glimpse into the exciting projects they are developing with anitya’s platform.
September 30, 2024
Daniel (Marketing Manager, anitya): Firstly, welcome Luigi. It’s great to have you here. I’d like to start by asking if you could give a brief introduction about yourself and NAVE Education – what do you do?
Luigi (COO, NAVE Education): Thank you, Daniel. It’s a pleasure to be here. My name is Luigi, and I’m the Chief Operating Officer at NAVE, though I’m not particularly fond of titles like COO. I see myself as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, ensuring the company runs smoothly. NAVE started out with a focus on virtual reality (VR) training. We gained some recognition through this and were able to grow and take on more projects, including workplace safety certifications like SIPA and SIPAT, and creating informational content for specialized machinery. VR made these processes much easier for industries.
Eventually, we transitioned into the education space, which was always our primary goal. However, we initially grew through training because we weren’t well-known, and we didn’t have a ready-made product to sell. During this journey, we needed a multiplatform partner. The only option we found was SP, but it didn’t suit our needs. That’s when we met Pedro, the CEO of anitya, and everything clicked. The switch to anitya was seamless, and it’s drastically cut down our project timelines, improving both efficiency and quality.
Daniel: That’s great to hear. Speaking of your projects, could you tell us a bit about the first one you worked on after partnering with anitya?
Luigi: Absolutely. When we first met Pedro, we were already working on a project for FATESA, a medical school in Ribeirão Preto. They wanted something different, so we proposed multiplatform technology. This meant that students could access the content not just in person, but also from their computers, tablets, or phones—whether at home or in school.
We initially started developing this with SP, which was challenging. But once we switched to anitya, the production time dropped from 120 days to just 45 days. The simplicity of the tool, along with its high-quality output, made a huge difference. For example, when we were working with SP, lighting and textures didn’t always come through as intended. But with anitya, everything looked just as we designed it in Unreal Engine, which was a game-changer.
Daniel: It’s fascinating how you leveraged training to enter the education space. This aligns with anitya’s vision of using immersive experiences to enhance learning. How did you come to realize that this was the right path for NAVE?
Luigi: One of the challenges we noticed, especially in primary and secondary education, is that it’s hard to hold students' attention. Kids today are deeply immersed in the digital world, and instead of fighting against it, we decided to embrace it. There’s a lot of talk about how kids are addicted to games and entertainment but not education. So we asked, "Why not make them interested in education?"
That’s where anitya’s multi-device capability really made a difference. For example, when we worked with Coca-Cola on a workplace safety project, we initially used VR headsets. However, serving 2,000 people over two days was a logistical nightmare. With anitya, we could provide the training on VR headsets, tablets, and mobile devices, allowing us to reach more people more efficiently.
Daniel: That’s a great example of scalability, which is critical when working with large groups. Beyond the benefits of speed and scalability, what do you find most interesting about the technical side of anitya’s platform? And what do you think could be improved?
Luigi: One example would be our current project, Treasure Island, which is a financial education program for children. We’ve been testing engagement with Unreal Engine in schools, and transitioning to anitya has been seamless. The lighting, textures, and overall quality are just as we designed them.
However, one area for improvement would be adding the ability to create animations within anitya. For example, we have a villain character in Treasure Island who chases debts and loans, but we can’t animate him directly in anitya yet. We can show videos and images, but having interactive conversations and more dynamic actions would elevate the experience even further.
Daniel: That’s excellent feedback and something we’re working on, especially as we expand further into education and training. As a final question, how do you see the future of immersive learning and training?
Luigi: In the short term, I believe it will become mandatory within the next three to five years, much like how digital boards replaced chalkboards in classrooms. Technology helps deliver content in a way that truly engages people. For example, platforms like Steam attract more attention than much of the film and music industries combined. Why not take advantage of that engagement for education?
In just a few years, immersive learning will be a standard in both schools and workplaces. It’s an exciting time to be in this field.
Daniel: That’s a powerful perspective, and I completely agree. Using technology to enhance both entertainment and education is the way forward. Thanks again, Luigi, for your time and insights. We’re excited about what’s to come in our partnership with NAVE!
Luigi: Thank you, Daniel. I’m looking forward to seeing where we can take this next!
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