Since its inception in 2016, iAnimal360 has brought the conditions of factory farms to the public through VR headsets. Created by Animal Equality (an American animal rights action group) the VR simulation immerses viewers inside barns on an industrial livestock farms. iAnimal360 shows the cradle-to-grave life cycle of a chicken or a pig, narrated by animal activists like Kat Von D. Footage is acquired from Animal Equality investigators, who go undercover in factory farms (generating controversy about their methods). By exposing the realities of the industry to the public, individuals are left with an impression of how food gets to their plate, thereby helping them rethink their consumption patterns. The VR installation has been brought to festivals and expositions all over the world. Its creators hope to raise awareness of factory farming in a more gripping, visceral manner than conventional video footage.
Atkinson, S. A., & Kennedy, H. W. (2018). Virtual Humanity: Empathy, Embodiment and Disorientation in Humanitarian VR Experience Design. Refractory: A Journal of Entertainment Media, 30(2018), [2].
See also:
A virtual reality experience into the lives of farmed animals. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ianimal360.com/
Categories
Aesthetic/Leisure, Citizen Science, Ecological Modelling, Immersive Technology, Industry/Natural Commodities, Internet of Things, Psychology, Visual Technologies
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