My interdisciplinary team explored the psychological and social effects that virtual reality immersion has upon our relationship with the physical world. Specifically, the intertwining connection between the physical sensations we experience in the real world, and the “protected” sensations we experience in virtual reality.
We created a Virtual Reality piece, where the user – in real space – stands on a wooden plank in the middle of the room. Through the headset, they see themselves standing on a tightrope, between two skyscrapers. The longer the user looks straight ahead, the further the destination becomes, creating a sensory experience distorting space and its relationship to time. The sensory confusion is experienced through the virtual world, but its effects become apparent in the physical world- blurring the lines between an internal and external experience. We concluded that the application of pioneering technology like VR could be used as tool for people to conquer fears and overcome challenges they aren't able to in their everyday lives.
