Yesterday I went to a demo of a "virtual reality" platform called vMerse, created by a company called CADCorporation. Basically, a vMerse is a 3D re-creation of an environment (like a college campus), in which users from all over the world can interact in real-time via their "avatars." It's kind of like SecondLife, but with much better graphics and a more controlled environment. There is currently a beta version of a University of Michigan vMerse available, a demonstration of which made up most of yesterday's presentation. The undergrad admissions office there is using the site to teach prospective students about the University, and to help them get a sense of what the campus is like, from the football stadium (watch for the Wave) to the Diag (complete with animated squirrels). This proves especially useful to those for whom an actual campus visit is not feasible, but also supplements the experience of those who plan to visit.
The demo was set up by Julie Peterson, the new University of Chicago VP for Communications. It will be interesting to see if there is interest enough from the higher levels of the administration to pursue such a project for the U of C.