As career and technical education programs nationwide confront mounting pressure to prepare students for high-demand technical careers without exhausting limited equipment budgets or compromising student safety, zSpace has announced a wide-ranging expansion of its AR/VR learning platform at ACTE CareerTech VISION 2025, introducing specialized applications across automotive technology, health sciences, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and career exploration.
The zSpace platform delivers immersive hands-on learning experiences without requiring head-mounted displays, instead utilizing Windows-based all-in-one computers and laptops equipped with head tracking and stylus input technologies.
This approach enables students to interact with three-dimensional virtual models, simulations, and real-world scenarios in safe, repeatable environments that eliminate equipment damage risks while providing unlimited practice opportunities.
Over 3,500 school districts, technical centers, community colleges, and universities currently deploy zSpace systems for CTE and career readiness instruction.
The expanded automotive applications allow students to disassemble, diagnose, and reassemble virtual engines and systems, providing visual and tactile experience with complex powertrains that prepare learners for real-world diagnostic procedures and technical decision-making.
These simulations support foundational and advanced automotive technician competencies aligned with industry standards, with instructors reporting transformed teaching methodologies and measurably improved student readiness for technical careers.
The health science suite encompasses Medical Assistant Skills for foundational clinical competencies, Virtual ECG for hands-on practice in electrode placement and cardiac rhythm interpretation, and BodyViz for interactive anatomy exploration using authentic MRI and CT datasets.
These applications support CTE pathways in nursing, medical assisting, and allied health disciplines, building student confidence and competence before clinical or laboratory exposure.
Advanced manufacturing and robotics simulations address materials science, tooling fundamentals, automation systems, robotics programming, workflow optimization, safety protocols, and troubleshooting procedures.
Students explore manufacturing environments virtually, developing foundational skills in CNC operation, welding techniques, robotic programming, and quality control processes before engaging physical equipment. The robotics applications offer particularly timely training as experts predict household robot integration will become widespread between 2028 and 2035, creating significant workforce demands.
The Career Explorer application enables students to investigate dozens of high-demand occupations, supporting informed pathway selection and workforce readiness across diverse technical fields.
The platform’s interactive 3D experiences increase student engagement and motivation compared to traditional instructional methods, with educators observing better participation and more dynamic classroom environments across technical education programs.
The system operates as a Windows 10 PC that supports Internet access, classwork, online assessments, and industry certification exams on the same device.
References
- https://blog.zspace.com/the-importance-of-integrating-ar-vr-technology-and-zspace-into-existing-classroom-technology-like-ifps
- https://thelearningcounsel.com/articles/app-of-the-week/zspace-experiences-enable-stem-learning-through-arvr-and-standards-aligned-activities/
- https://www.1rti.com/rti-partners/zspace/
- https://www.stocktitan.net/news/ZSPC/z-space-showcases-major-expansion-of-cte-ar-vr-learning-applications-gk407legqjky.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igVPgouAsEQ
- https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/12/09/3202301/0/en/zSpace-Showcases-Major-Expansion-of-CTE-AR-VR-Learning-Applications-at-ACTE-CareerTech-VISION-2025.html
- https://zspace.com
- https://info.zspace.com/what-is-zspace-cte
