Thesis Patricia Berchtold M.Sc.

Designing a Functional Virtual Reality Prototype for Practicing German

Power used
2.76W
Battery status
60%
Power generated
30.15W

The Interface Design chair at Bauhaus University Weimar is taking an innovative step toward sustainable digital practices by launching a solar-powered website. This new initiative draws its energy from a small balcony solar power system—known in Germany as a Balkonkraftwerk—installed on the university campus. The setup provides a limited but sufficient amount of energy to run the website during daylight hours, depending on weather conditions.

The project is not just about technology; it’s a statement. By powering the site with renewable energy, the institute aims to raise awareness about the often-overlooked environmental impact of digital infrastructure. Websites, apps, and online services consume significant amounts of electricity, much of which is still generated by fossil fuels. Through this experiment, the Interface Design Institute wants to highlight the growing energy footprint of the internet and encourage more sustainable thinking in web design.

Visitors to the site can view real-time information about its energy status—whether it is online thanks to solar power or temporarily offline due to lack of sun. This dynamic experience helps users reflect on their own digital habits and the invisible resources behind every click.

2.76W 60% 30.15W

A Contextual Learning Approach

This project explores the design of a functional virtual reality prototype that supports German language learning through contextual, immersive experiences. By integrating interactive scenarios into a VR environment, the prototype aims to enhance vocabulary retention, situational understanding, and learner motivation, offering a novel approach to language acquisition through embodied practice.

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Text block in between images Li Europan lingues es membres del sam familie. Lor separat existentie es un myth. Por scientie, musica, sport etc, litot Europa usa li sam vocabular. Li lingues differe solmen in li grammatica, li pronunciation e li plu commun vocabules. Omnicos directe al desirabilite de un nov lingua franca: On refusa continuar payar custosi traductores. At solmen va esser necessi far uniform grammatica, pronunciation.

Designing a Functional