Virtual Realities

Virtual Realities is a suite of activities where children and parents can connect together without being physically close to one another. A custom multi-user virtual reality game communicates with a mobile app for asymmetric playtime between parent and child, freeing up busy parents to play with their kid on the go while driving, watching television, or grabbing a coffee at Starbucks.

One example in the suite of activities is the activity of passing a red ball back and forth. The child sits on the ground encompassed within a virtual world of primary colors; in front of the child is a red ball on a track with a circular placeholder at the other end of the track, clearly indicating where their parent would be sitting. When the child pushes the ball with their hands using VR controllers, the ball rolls to the parent's placeholder position at which time the parent receives a notification on their phone. When the parent is ready, they press a large red button on their mobile app and the ball is slowly rolled back to their child.

Virtual Realities is installed as a physical work and demonstrated publicly in the form of a performative tech demo. The work was created in collaboration with Dmitry "Dima" Strakovsky.

Virtual Realities

Virtual Realities is a suite of activities where children and parents can connect together without being physically close to one another. A custom multi-user virtual reality game communicates with a mobile app for asymmetric playtime between parent and child, freeing up busy parents to play with their kid on the go while driving, watching television, or grabbing a coffee at Starbucks.

One example in the suite of activities is the activity of passing a red ball back and forth. The child sits on the ground encompassed within a virtual world of primary colors; in front of the child is a red ball on a track with a circular placeholder at the other end of the track, clearly indicating where their parent would be sitting. When the child pushes the ball with their hands using VR controllers, the ball rolls to the parent's placeholder position at which time the parent receives a notification on their phone. When the parent is ready, they press a large red button on their mobile app and the ball is slowly rolled back to their child.

Virtual Realities is installed as a physical work and demonstrated publicly in the form of a performative tech demo. The work was created in collaboration with Dmitry "Dima" Strakovsky.