Natural and Virtual Realms: An Integrative Approach Towards Understanding Natural and Anthropogenic Drivers of Animal Behavior and Energetics in Marine Ecosystems
Increasing public understanding of the effects of climate change on ecosystems is often limited by our ability to convey the complex interactions between organisms and the dynamic environments in which they live. This project will translate data from electronically tagged marine animals, such as alingcod or jellyfish, in the kelp forests of Monterey Bay into virtual reality where humans can enter the underwater realm to observe or become a fish in order to better understand how their movement and behavior is driven by the changing environmental conditions.
The EVP team's approach will provide an unparalleled tool that will allow a broad audience the personal, virtual, experience needed to become environmentally educated on marine, and other, climate change issues.
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Free science education software, available to anyone with virtual reality gear, holds promise for spreading awareness and inspiring action on the pressing issue of ocean acidification.
Describes studies by Woods Senior Fellow Jeremy Bailenson that use virtual reality to simulate changes in the enviornment
New advances in technology are sparking efforts to use virtual reality to help people gain a deeper appreciation of environmental challenges. VR experiences, says Woods Senior Fellow Jeremy Bailenson (communications), can be especially useful in conveying key issues that are slow to develop, such as climate change and extinction.
Projects hold the promise of cleaning the air, reducing parasitic infections and uncovering pathways by which diseases are spread.