Exploring Grief Support Through Immersive AI Technologies

Across Voids An immersive experience which explores how AI and immersive technologies can help support the grieving process Researcher s Name: Norah Lorway

Contents Supporting Statement Research Output Project Details Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Contextual Evidence Dissemination Page 6 Page 5 1

Project Details - Across voids: An interactive experience on grief is the result of funded fellowship through the Southwest Creative Technology Network (SWCTN) - Funded by UKRI/ Research England - Performed live at University of Birmingham s BEAST FEAsT May 2019 2

300-Word Supporting Statement Across Voids is an immersive experience which explores how AI and immersive technologies can help support the grieving process. (VBAP), a sound engineering technique which creates 3D sound. Visuals were created in Unity. Grief is often discussed in terms of how it can be cured instead of (perhaps more realistically), how it can be supported (Hughes 2011). Immersive technologies, such as VR, have been shown to help create a healthier mind through examining our virtual selves (Georgieva 2017). By using these technologies with individuals experiencing grief, support and healing can be provided on an ongoing basis, not just at the beginning of a person s grief journey. The work is informed by the following; SuperBetter - a game by Jane McGonigal; Way to Go - a web experience by AATOAA studios in Montreal; Deprogrammed, a meditative virtual walk experience by Mia Donovan. It is also informed by C.S. Lewis s A Grief Observed. This project can be seen as a sort of "emotional fitbit" for helping users explore their own experience with grief and loss; the user wears a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) + VR headset (such as the HTC Vive) and is able explore the experience at their own pace, using webVR. The user s emotional ouput is being read via EEGs from the BCI and fed into the experience: brighter colours output = happier mood; darker/white colours = neutral emotions and so on. The output is then fed into an interactive GriefBot, which responds to the emotional output and chats with the user, acting as a guide throughout the chosen duration of the experience. The experience uses 360 degree video and spatial sound audio. The audio was created using the SuperCollider audio programming language. I built a custom software tool which allows for surround sound using Vector Amplitude Panning 3

Research Output This video of Across Voids is a stereo rendering of the multichannel live performance of the work at the University of Birmingham s BEAST FEAsT surround sound festival (May 2019) and the NHS Cornwall Partnerships Artificial Intelligence event (April 2019). https://vimeo.com/364059874 Running time: 09:17 4

Dissemination BEAST FEAsT 2019: surround sound festival at the University of Birmingham (May 2019) NHS Cornwall Partnerships Artificial Intelligence event (April 2019) 5

Contextual Evidence Across Voids: An interactive experience on grief work by Dr Norah Lorway, SWCTN Immersion Fellow: Information document 6