Getting To Know Roundtable: Max Calhoun Employee Spotlight
Read Time: 2 minutes
This week, we sat down with Roundtable’s Max Calhoun to talk about his role, XR Developer, and some industry trends that he finds interesting.
What does your title of being an XR Developer mean? What do you do for Roundtable?
As an XR Developer, I build applications that make use of extended reality technologies, such as virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality. At Roundtable, I work in a team alongside 3D Modelers, Instructional Designers, and occasionally other developers to build training applications for our clients.
How did you get into XR development?
I’ve always had an interest in computers and technology since childhood. I took my first programming course in high school, and upon completion, I decided that this was the career path I wanted to pursue. I went to Kent State University and majored in computer science with a focus in game programming. While there, I made several connections while working on games with peers, which connected me to Roundtable.
What is a trend in learning technology that’s exciting to you?
One trend I’m excited about is the increase in tracking capabilities of XR Hardware. Products like the Leap Motion Controller by Ultraleap allow for tracking precise hand and finger movements. This eliminates the need for physical controllers by allowing the user to interact with the virtual environment using their hands and fingers.
Finish the sentence. Learning is essential to an organization because…
It keeps your organization competitive. This results in better-trained workers, which in turn produce better products and services.
What is something you have done in this role this year that you are proud of?
I’m really proud of the work that my team and I put into the Tier 4 project for BNSF. This application is a “titan.” Not only have countless hours been spent on programming the training itself, but loads of work also went into modeling and developing the instructional material. We’ve encountered many obstacles along the way, but our brilliant team overcame them all. The end result looks great, and it’s amazing to see how much the project has progressed through our collective efforts.
What are some interesting facts about you?
I graduated from college in 3 years. I’m also a gamer, and I’ve played quite a few video games over the years. Some of my favorites include the Halo trilogy, Rust, Rimworld, and Borderlands 2.
