OCAD University Open Research Repository

Embosom: Exploring the Concept of Home Through a Multi-sensory Virtual Reality Installation

Yousefi, Zhino (2023) Embosom: Exploring the Concept of Home Through a Multi-sensory Virtual Reality Installation. Masters thesis, OCAD University.

Item Type: Thesis
Creators: Yousefi, Zhino
Abstract:

This research delves into the potential of multi-sensory Virtual Reality (VR) installations in exploring the notion of home from the perspective of diaspora. Through Embosom, a VR sculpture installation that blends virtual reality, sound, and touch, a distinctive dual spatial environment is created that enhances the viewer's sensory experience and evokes physical and emotional comfort. This research also explores the relationship between the concepts of "home" and "diaspora," recognizing that they are intertwined. Viewers are enveloped by a soft sculpture that resembles a home, manifested through the form of a hugging sculpture. Simultaneously, wearing a VR headset, they are presented with dreamy motion graphics depicting homes made of sparkling particles, along with various structures such as windows and doors. Embosom offers an experience providing reflection on the concept of home by intersecting the boundaries of the real and virtual worlds and taking viewers on an imaginative journey. As viewers navigate through Embosom, a sound piece plays in the background, adding to the overall experience with its calming and meditative effects. This research draws on principles from the fields of phenomenology and psychology of home that inform the design process. Utilizing research creation and case study approaches, participants' feedback was gathered via an interview questionnaire and a survey, indicating that the installation reduced anxiety and increased calmness. This research underlines the potential that arises when art and technology converge to explore how individuals from a diasporic background perceive and imagine the concept of home within a multi-sensory VR installation.

Date: 4 May 2023
Divisions: Graduate Studies > Digital Futures
Date Deposited: 08 May 2023 13:37
Last Modified: 08 May 2023 13:37
URI: https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/4101

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