03g Research

Case Study: We Live in an Ocean of Air by Marshmallow Laser Feast

https://phi.ca/en/antenna/wloa-an-exploration-of-breath/

https://phi.ca/en/events/we-live-in-an-ocean-of-air/

The aim of this piece is to reconnect humans with nature by making some invisible natural processes visible through the use of XR technologies. This location-based VR experience is centred on the process of breathing, using breath sensors on audience members to display blue particles when audience members exhale. This simple method of visualising the audiences connection with nature strikes me as a good use of VR tech that would not be possible to this extent in other mediums.

In this experience audience members all wear VR headsets and move around the same physical space as one another. The audience who are waiting to try the experience observe the people currently doing it, and can view two large screens showing some of what the users are seeing.

Lasting 15 minutes and accommodating two groups of 5 people simultaneously, visitors will use a unique combination of technologies: from untethered virtual reality, heart rate monitors, and breath sensors to body tracking. You will be completely immersed in a world beyond human perception.

This piece achieves impressive visuals, and I really like the breath sensor execution which makes me think about breath meditations. Using XR technologies to help people experience and thus understand scientific and natural processes is something which I am personally very interested in in my own practice.