A Rose Bruford College projects is one of 38 funded through a new £9m UK Research and Innovation proof of concept programme.
A prototype was originally produced by Rose Bruford College in collaboration with AVA Dance Company, and is thematically based on the solo choreographed by Avatâra Ayuso in 2018 for a black box theatre. The immersive experience between the main character “angel” and a single audience member allowed created a personalised experience between the two. It garnered numerous awards including ‘Best VR Experience’ 2023 at the London Indie Film Festival and a London Higher Innovation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. It was viewed at a special event in 2024 in the atmospheric surroundings of King’s College London’s College Chapel.
The new project will create an accessible Virtual Reality (VR) experience, developing Angel VR, an immersive VR dance experience in which users interact with a digital angel character across 8 scenes. The project addresses the needs of users with visual impairments, D/deaf users, wheelchair users, and those with physical disabilities that affect motor skills, all of whom have limited access to VR due to the inaccessibility of the form.
“This project will expand AngelVR, an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) dance experience, into a truly accessible form of VR. By integrating audio description, closed captions, adaptive navigation and haptic feedback, we are opening up VR to people who are often excluded from these experiences such as those with visual impairments, D/deaf users, wheelchair users and people with limited motor function. I am excited to lead and work with a diverse, multidisciplinary team, to learn throughout the process from their amazing expertise, push the boundaries of inclusive design, and create something that everyone can experience and enjoy. I began my career in aeronautical engineering before undertaking a degree in drama, so it’s incredible to work on a project that brings different disciplines and perspectives together”
– Enrique Munoz, Project Lead and Lecturer in Visual Production, Rose Bruford College
“We are so excited to develop our research and innovation and to have the opportunity to think about how to apply our research in new ways.
For Rose Bruford College, funding like this opens up pathways to innovation and highlights the exciting ways that our research translates into practice. This application process, and the project itself, have demonstrated the importance of collaboration and creative thinking, and what the arts can do for a wide range of communities.”
– Dr.Joe Parslow, Head of Research & Postgraduate Provision, Rose Bruford College
The UKRI proof of concept programme is aimed at helping researchers put bold ideas into practice and take steps towards commercialisation, supporting innovations that have the potential to significantly improve societal wellbeing and economic outcomes. It was developed in response to a critical need for more early-stage commercial support for academics, helping to set the stage for successful commercial launches, and supports many of the key sectors outlined in this government’s recently published modern industrial strategy. According to Science Minister Lord Vallance, “UK universities are renowned for world-class research, but we must do more to encourage and support the experts behind it to bring their discoveries to market – building companies, driving growth and helping to improve people’s lives”.
The project will make an accessible and marketable VR experience for disabled users, addressing the technological challenge of creating an inclusive, high-quality VR experience that centres their needs. Further applications will include institutions such as museums, galleries, and festivals, where VR experiences are often in place as part of the learning experience, providing access to a cultural experience that is currently inaccessible to some users.
The project has been developed as the result of significant collaboration with accessibility specialists and disabled artists and the team’s diverse expertise will ensure that the concept embeds inclusive principles from the outset, with access to industry-standard facilities at Rose Bruford College providing a strong innovation environment.
Meet the team:
Enrique Munoz, Project Lead
Avatara Ayuso, Artistic Director
Dan Edge, Artist and Disability Advisor
Harshadha Balasubramanian, Artist and Researcher
Dave Pritchard, Game Developer
Miyu Matsumoto, Motion Capture Artist