ORLANDO, Fla. and RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Virtual Heroes Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has just released a free download of Mission Biotech , a 3D educational game that encourages middle and high-school students to investigate careers in biotechnology. Funded by the National Science Foundation and developed by Virtual Heroes working with the University of Florida, the single-player game teaches the concepts, procedures, and tools used in a real biotechnology laboratory. Users play as members of a virtual team trying to stop the spread of dangerous pathogens, and the clock is ticking. Gameplay includes discovering and using high-tech, fully functional laboratory equipment, collecting badges and clues, and unlocking mini-games that reinforce scientific concepts. Mission Biotech includes a hinting system to help guide players in their tasks, and a virtual Lab Director and other workers are available to answer questions. The game features a randomized virus database and hours of replayable missions. Says Virtual Heroes Division Manager Randy Brown, "Mission Biotech was a huge undertaking, providing hours of gameplay in a rich biotechnology lab environment. Players must learn how to use scientific equipment correctly to perform complex biotech procedures. We're excited to release this game for free and hopefully inspire interest in the biotechnology field." Mission Biotech is available for free download on the Virtual Heroes website: http://www.virtualheroes.biz/MissionBiotech Virtual Heroes has won multiple awards for its simulations, serious games and 3D virtual worlds using Unreal Engine technology to provide interactive learning solutions for healthcare, government customers, and corporate training. More information on Virtual Heroes can be found at http://www.virtualheroes.com . About Applied Research Associates, Inc. & Virtual Heroes Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) was founded 1979, in Albuquerque, N.M., to solve problems of national importance by providing science and engineering research, technical support services. The company's applied research delivers scientific solutions for national defense, homeland security, aerospace, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With 1,100 Employee Owners at locations in the U.S. and Canada, ARA offers a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil engineering, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, biomedical engineering, environmental technologies, and blast testing and measurement. The Virtual Heroes Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. creates collaborative interactive learning solutions for healthcare, federal systems, and corporate training markets. Advanced Learning Technologies (ALT) leverage simulation learning and digital games-based training paradigms to accelerate learning, increase user proficiency, and reduce training costs. Virtual Heroes is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Orlando, Florida. For more information, please visit: http://www.virtualheroes.com and http://www.ara.com . Contact: Randy Brown ARA VP, Virtual Heroes Division Manager randy.brown@virtualheroes.com rbrown@ara.com 919-747-7603
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Randy Brown ARA VP, Virtual Heroes Division Manager 919-747-7603
