[Image ©Valkyrie Industries]

Sensory Spaces is a new research project bringing together StoryFutures Immersive Fellow, CTO and co-founder of Valkyrie Industries, Dr Ivan Isakov; UCA’s Dr Birgitta Hosea, Reader in Moving Image and Dr Camille Baker, Reader Interface & Interaction to develop a toolkit for sculpting in virtual reality using Valkyrie Industries cutting-edge haptic gloves.

Work to date indicates that there is importance and value in the use of sensory experiences made possible through newly emerging immersive technologies. This is already well understood in other sectors including clinical interventions in health and wellbeing as well as virtual training in enterprise, engineering and advanced manufacturing. Touch and the use of haptic technologies is increasingly a part of creative storytelling in arts and entertainment as well. Working with existing headsets and haptic tools, this project aims to explore ways in which the public could animate, build or augment their world, or an imagined world, and feel their creation.

As part of our research we are auditing tools, materials and processes used in both traditional sculpture and CGI modelling in order to develop intuitive virtual sculpting tools. Are you working in this area? If so we’d like to hear from you if you model in 3d – either using CGI, VR or even traditional analogue sculptural processes. Please fill out this short survey to share your experience of your tools: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uJfNfjpHyyesHWYS2FBDAXVZ3E82-rG1SyQ_ARU71ow/edit?usp=sharing