Through The Spectrum

Virtual Reality

Project Overview

Students with autism often experience difficulties in higher education, but their challenges are often overlooked. To tackle this issue, I have developed a Virtual Reality experience intended for educators and fellow students. This immersive experience aims to provide a firsthand understanding of the perspective of a student navigating higher education while on the autism spectrum.

Details

The initiative was conceived as part of my graduation project, driven by a desire to enhance my skill set. I made the project using tools like Unity, Blender, and Audition. I researched Autism Spectrum Disorder to make a targeted solution for common challenges. The end result was a functional Virtual Reality prototype, bringing to life an experiential insight into the world of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Graduation Project

Communication and
Multimedia Design

Feb 2023 - Jul 2023

The concept is to put the user in the shoes of a student on the autism spectrum. The user stays in one place and experiences the story unfolding around them. This way, anyone can go through the experience without having to move around or feel uncomfortable due to sudden motions.

The user gets to understand what it's like for a student on the spectrum to work in a public workspace. The main focus is on the various sensory inputs that come with such a workspace. While it might be an ordinary activity for a "regular" student, it can be quite overwhelming for students on the spectrum. This experience helps provide insights into their perspective.

The environment is based upon my own college, Hogeschool van Amsterdam. The work space I made in Blender and shaded it using Adobe Substance Painter. It all came together using Unity to add the lighting, interaction and audio.

Through The Spectrum

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