Visualisation and immersive technologies

Use of the facilities is at no cost to the user. Depending on the amount of support required, cost recovery may apply.

To arrange a demonstration or book the spaces or technologies, email researchdata@auckland.ac.nz

The team at the Centre for eResearch (CeR) has experience working with researchers across the University to create innovative visualisations. For example:

• Visualising geospatial data
• Creating Unity-based 3D simulations
• Creating web-based data visualisations
• Undertaking development work for Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) devices

We provide technical advice and support for visualisation and immersive technologies to help bring research data to life. We can partner with researchers to support research projects that require more in-depth analytics and customised solutions through our research programming and workflow development service.

The City and Grafton campus spaces and equipment can be used to visualise and explore large or complex data sets, host small group collaborations or meetings where the display of data or media is required, or be utilised for key outreach activities with investors, funders or VIP events. To arrange a demonstration or book the spaces, email researchdata@auckland.ac.nz.

The following are available for use and portable devices can be borrowed for displays, open-days and other outreach activities:

Virtual Reality non-tethered (no cables)

• Meta Quest 3 (9x)
• Meta Quest Pro (6x)
• Meta Quest 2 (25x)

Virtual Reality tethered (cabled)

• HTC Vive Pro 2 (2x)
• HTC Vive Pro (5x)

Augmented Reality

• Microsoft Holo Lens V2 (10x)
• Microsoft Holo Lens V1 (TBC)

Displays (within the City-campus Visualisation Suite)

• Tile Wall (2x3 65" curved 4K displays)
• Microsoft Surface Hub Pro 2S 50" Touch screen
• 86" 4K 3D TV
• 65" 8K TV

We offer training and community building opportunities to enable use of visualisation and immersive technologies through, for example, ResBaz 2026, Data analysis and visualisation in R workshop, Hacky Hour and occasional Unity workshops.

We have produced several visualisations for researchers from various science domains and datasets, such as the Big Bang, a river near East Cape, a VR molecule viewer, the Canterbury earthquakes, a Virtual Reality rip simulation, and a 3D map showing humpback whale migration.

All visualisation related code is open source at the University of Auckland, Center for eResearch. Anyone can download and modify these projects for free.

Additional information can be found at the CeR projects page.

Also, check out the CeR YouTube channel.

Research Data Support Services
Mailto: researchdata@auckland.ac.nz

Nick Young
Senior eResearch Solution Specialist, Centre for eResearch
Phone: +64 9 923 9740
Email: nick.young@auckland.ac.nz