The big issues

Virtual Reality (VR) is a new technology with potential to be a transformative tool. Therefore it is crucial to ethically, responsibly and inclusively shape this medium as it is forming. Currently, the immersive industry has certain issues: 

1.       VR is designed for people with standard sensory abilities, marginalising visually and kinetically impaired participants; as an answer, Eirini and Lisa both offer a more inclusive VR practice, using physical and multi-sensory devices and practices which demand active somatic and tactile engagement. 

2.       Often audiences are excluded from the experience design process, resulting in poor design and user experience (UX); something we will address through a usability design process which focusses on non-normative sensing bodies. 

3.       VR manifests embodiment and immersion, but impedes participants' free hand and senses use to interact with the world, alienating them from their physical body; while through our collective practice, we prioritise connection with our bodies. 

Our response

Cognition will address these issues, creating frameworks for inclusive and responsible Mixed Reality (MR) experience design, and provoking alternative digital futures to less equitable futures claimed by industry leaders. 

The project will improve on Eirini's existing prototype "Cognition", drawing on her practice of bridging reality and virtuality, as well as Lisa's experience with sensory bodies and VR through Soma participatory performance, and her research on caring about the different kinds of bodies in VR, as part of the Centre for Sociodigital Futures Caring domain. 

Working with creative technologists Julia Ronneberger and Steffan Le Prince, we will conduct practice-based research on how VR can be more inclusive and accessible, using tactile elements and including visually and kinetically impaired participants in the creative and development process.

This fund will enable us to promote co-design and responsible, ethical and thought-provoking use of new technologies, building inclusive digital futures and digital innovation. Thank you to our project partners: Pervasive Media Studio, Knowle West Media Centre, Ultraleap.