Multisensory experiences drive immersive physical environments | Computer Weekly

"Researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany experiment with virtual, multi-sensory forests for therapeutic services. In Japan, shinrin-yoku describes the process of immersing oneself in forest environments for meditative purposes. The activity is often referred to as forest bathing and involves focusing on the sensory sensation of experiencing nature. The researchers found "forest bathing in virtual reality improves emotional well-being and increases connectedness to nature, particularly when several senses (sight, hearing, smell) are simultaneously engaged"."

"Employing 360-degree virtual reality (VR) imaging, the sound of forests and the smell of firs, the study exposed test subjects to several simulations. Combining these three sensory stimuli resulted in mood improvements and stronger emotional connection to nature in contrast to only applying individual stimuli. More research is needed to deepen understanding, but "we can already say that digital nature experiences can absolutely produce an emotional effect - even if they don't replace actual nature", says Leonie Ascone, lead author of the study and researcher at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf."

Immersive technologies in physical locations often rely on three-dimensional visuals and advanced sound, while additional senses are less commonly used. Augmented and mixed reality can bring multi-sensory experiences into real-world environments for healthcare, entertainment, training, and education. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute developed virtual, multi-sensory forests for therapeutic services, inspired by shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. Using 360-degree VR imaging, forest sounds and fir smells were presented through multiple simulations. When sight, hearing, and smell were engaged together, mood improved and emotional connection to nature increased compared with single-sense stimulation. Further research is needed, but digital nature experiences can produce emotional effects even without replacing actual nature.

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