IT services giant EDS of Dallas, and virtual reality training and consulting specialist Prosolvia Research and Technology Inc. are joining forces to establish the Virtual Reality Institute (VRI).

Initially, the VRI will offer training and consulting services in virtual reality technology beginning in August. Prosolvia will provide the curriculum, instructors, research and development staff, and consulting expertise and methodologies. EDS will support the center with its vast marketing network, technical resources, facilities and administrative support. The two companies also will work together to expand the VR curriculum, identify new business applications for VR technology and launch additional centers in North America.

"Interactive Visual Simulation and VR are technologies that have been rapidly evolving toward becoming efficient product development and process reengineering tools," says Mats Johansson, president of Prosolvia. "However, many companies have been restrained in their use of these dynamic technical tools because of a scarcity of trained personnel."

The center will focus on creating an environment where students can use new tools and processes applied to projects in marketing and sales, manufacturing, simulation, assembly, design, product development, medicine, entertainment and Architecture Engineering Construction (A/E/C).

Prosolvia, a privately-owned company based in Sweden with offices in Troy, Mich., and Salt Lake City, Utah, specializes in software development and consulting for VR applications. Prosolvia currently operates five VR colleges in Europe. Some of its clients include Volkswagen, BMW, Volvo, Ericsson and Swedish Telecom.

For more information on the VRI, contact the EDS/Prosolvia VRI Web site at http://www.vrinstitute.com.