Anivision

Problem

Our view of the world is very human-centric, limiting our understanding of the earth to the human experience. Animals, on the other hand, perceive the world in a fundamentally different way. Most often, this kind of knowledge is taught in classroom settings with through textbooks or other forms of more passive learning. So how can we translate this information into an engaging educational tool that could help us see the world as it is seen by animals?

Solution

Anivision is a scientific virtual reality platform that lets users explore and compare their experiences to that of animals with extreme adaptations — like the tarsier's night-vision eyes or the honey bee's ultraviolet sight. In the VR world, users can toggle between a human and animal view as they explore different habitats, encouraging a self-motivated learning experience. Paired with educational materials to facilitate the activity, Anivision brings classroom concepts into the context of personal experience, forming a fully immersive learning experience.

Impact

Anivision expands our understanding of the world to include non-human-centric experiences, provides a novel, immersive, and engaging platform for learning, and provokes exploration of the world from different perspectives.

DIFUSE Data Component

Anivision’s work was based on academic research going back decades on primate and human sight. Anivision’s purpose, to implement data from academia in a way that makes it engaging for any audience, as well as to generate new data and new insights about experiential learning with VR. In accordance with the National Science Foundation’s DIFUSE grant that helps fund it, Anivision is activating both its developers and users to generate new exciting data-based knowledge on VR learning while implementing findings from decades of data collection by scientists.