Future Business Magnates Develop Portal to the Past

June 2017

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Our FBM team with Teacher, Miss Martin and Hydram Engineering Ltd representatives, Neil Mawson and Mitchell Bowater.

As part of Durham County Council's "Future Business Magnates' competition, our King James team have developed an innovative way of connecting local people to their past and providing a new way of learning about County Durham's history.

Under their business name, "Rev‘s Ltd' (pronounced reverse) the team's exciting product lets customers experience historical attractions in County Durham through a virtual reality headset and app. Users are transported back to the past and will be able to live the experience!

The idea is based around a prototype VR headset, which students have developed and adapted to allow the use of a smartphone camera. This will help users see where they are going, as well as super imposing video graphics of the past to get the real experience. For example, at Beamish customers could use the headset to walk around the school and the playground, and the technology in the app will add images of school children playing and learning.

Led by Business Studies Teacher, Miss Martin, our team have been working with Neil Mawson, Training Manager, and Mitchell Bowater, Apprentice at Hydram Engineering Ltd, our local business partner for the duration of the competition. All are pictured above with the team.

The team consists of Year 8 students Ben B, Sophie D, Kelsey D, Adam H, Zak L, Jereminah M, Olivia O and Amelia P. Together they have performed extremely well at each stage of the competition, currently lying in 5th position as the final challenge and awards ceremony approaches.