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Virtual reality a real but expensive possibility for Utah schools

Posted at 6:45 PM, Oct 01, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-01 20:45:27-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Imagine dissecting a frog without having to dissect a frog, or exploring the inner workings of an electrical system without any fear of electrocution.

That's the allure of a virtual reality system FOX 13 News' Ashton Edwards took for a test drive Thursday at the invitation of a company that produces hardware and software for schools.

ZSpace executive Gary Murphy took her on the tour through a human heart.

"It makes it a very immersive, very engaging environment to work in," said Murphy as Edwards put on some glasses and held a stylus in mid air between her eyes and the computer screen.

"Ok, very cool," Edwards said under her breath as she began exploring.

With the stylus in mid air, she was able to hold the heart and move it back and forth. Then she picked up a camera and moved it through the heart...seeing the interior of the organ as she moved through it.

"This could probably make me smarter, you know what I mean?" Edwards joked as she continued to explore the virtual heart.

Murphy says his company doesn't have a hard time showing the value of their systems, but at a price tag starting around $65,000 for a 10-student lab, he says the question always come to money.