Virtual Reality for Public Good

• VR immersive but existing content wasn't very compelling
• EFF project - Spot the surveillance
  • eff.org/spot.vr
  • Used Mozilla A Frame - framework for VR experiences based on HTML 5 canvas and 3 JS Javascript library
    • Open source and free, but not widely adopted, not a lot of documentation
    • Can see it in browser, on phone, or in headset - easy to access
    • Mozilla helped optimize code
  • After prototyping, supported by Journalism 360 - supported Spanish version
  • Open source, on Github
• Design for VR
  • Design in 360 degrees
    • Point of view mockups and birds eye view mockups
    • Theater concepts and event planning
  • Anything more than 15 feet away doesn't really register to the user
  • Research on how much users want to rotate their head before its uncomfortable
  • Spot the Surveillance based on a real image instead of a simulated environment
    • Packed a punch on a low budget
    • Added in additional objects with Photoshop
  • Accessibility
    • Any text is read out loud, visual and audio cues
    • Usable on different devices
    • Testing with users
  • How did you determine the length of time of the experience?
    • Research - 10 minutes works for most people
  • Onboarding users into the experience and closing it out
    • Includes a counter tracking number of surveillance objects you've found
    • Card pops up when the user completed the experience
    • Intro - black, brief instructions to enter
    • Helpful to have a sentence explanation before sending someone in
  • Some people have nausea - just take off the headset
    • Static scene helps, some methods to handle movement
  • Keeping the immersive experience from being too dark / heavy
    • Ended with confetti
    • Easter eggs and friendly sound effects to keep it from being too serious
  • Non-linear design
    • Can't direct the user's experience other than entry and ending
  • Prototyping - work out spatial relationships in real space
  • Keep your idea as simple as possible
• What experiences are a good fit for VR / AR? When is it a value add?
  • Experience vs a giant column of text
  • Different audiences for the experience vs website
  • Must have realistic expectations with a nonprofit budget- nothing like a big budget game but can still have an impact
  • Training to look for something in the real world
  • Building empathy with others experiences’
• Augmented reality / AR
  • More challenges for a browser-based experience for AR, without using proprietary software
• Resources
  • React - GUI interface built on a frame
  • Janus - Internet Archive
  • Mozilla A Frame has good examples of where to start