Awe-Inducing virtual environments have been programmed using Unity3D, and a related device concept has been designed; its name is DROP/Direct Resource Of Positivity

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Wellness technologies
technical and scientific discovers
improve some aspects of life
stimulation of particular emotional states

3. 3
Positive Technology (PT)
“use of technology to modify the features of our personal
experience, (by structuring it, enhancing it, or replacing
it with synthetic environments) in order to improve
their quality and increase the well-being of individuals,
organizations and societies”
Riva, G., Banos, R. M., Botella, C., Wiederhold, B. K., & Gaggioli, A. (2012). Positive technology: using interactive technologies
to promote positive functioning. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 15(2), 69- 77. doi: 10.1089/
cyber.2011.0139

4. 4
The emotion “Awe”
“feeling of respect and amazement that you have when
you are faced with something wonderful and often rather
frightening”
Collins English Dictionary

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10. 10

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360° videos
high sense of presence
(feeling of being there)
high awe induction
Chirico, A., Cipresso, P., Yaden, D. B., Biassoni, F.,
Riva, G., & Gaggioli, A. (2017). Effectiveness
of Immersive Videos in Inducing Awe: An
Experimental Study. Scientific reports, 7(1),
1218. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-01242-0

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The Awe-inducing
Virtual Environments
development
the researchers can modify and directly control the
scenarios, adding, removing and manipulating the main
awe inducing elements

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The Awe-inducing
Virtual Environments
Forest Mountains
Earth view from
Deep Space Neutral Environment

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Forest
Awe-inducing elements inside:
1) forest with high trees
Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the
small self, and prosocial behavior. Journal of personality and social psychology,
108(6), 883
2) freshet with a big waterfall that flows in it
Rudd, M., Vohs, K. D., & Aaker, J. (2012). Awe expands people’s perception of time,
alters decision making, and enhances well-being. Psychological Science, 23(10),
1130-1136
3) surprise and vastness, the high waterfall can be
suddently seen at the end of the path
Chirico, A., Yaden, D., Riva, G., & Gaggioli, A. (2016). The Potential of Virtual Reality
for the Investigation of Awe. Frontiers in psychology, 7(1766). doi: 10.3389/
fpsyg.2016.01766
4) bird and waterfall sounds

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Mountains
Awe-inducing elements inside:
1) a large belvedere, from which it was possible to
admire an
awe-enhancing view of mountains
Chirico, A., Cipresso, P., Gaggioli, A. (2017). A Process for Selecting and Validating
Awe-Inducing Audio-Visual Stimuli. . Paper presented at the 6th EAI International
Symposium on Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health, Barcellona.
2) surprise and vastness, the view of mountains can
be suddently admired at the end of the path
Chirico, A., Yaden, D., Riva, G., & Gaggioli, A. (2016). The Potential of Virtual Reality
for the Investigation of Awe. Frontiers in psychology, 7(1766). doi: 10.3389/
fpsyg.2016.01766
3) sound of wind blowing through the mountains
peaks

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Earth view from Deep Space
Awe-inducing elements inside:
1) reaching the earth at the exosphere distance, and
observe it
White, F. (1987 ). The overview effect: Space exploration and human evolution. .
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
2) vastness given by the point of view on the small
life on earth, together with watching something
impossible to see in the everyday life
Chirico, A., Yaden, D., Riva, G., & Gaggioli, A. (2016). The Potential of Virtual Reality
for the Investigation of Awe. Frontiers in psychology, 7(1766). doi: 10.3389/
fpsyg.2016.01766
3) any kind of noise has been introduced in this
scenario

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Neutral Environment
No Awe-inducing elements inside:
1) elements are flat or low, because the vastness
hasn’t been pursued
Chirico, A., Yaden, D., Riva, G., & Gaggioli, A. (2016). The Potential of Virtual Reality
for the Investigation of Awe. Frontiers in psychology, 7(1766). doi: 10.3389/
fpsyg.2016.01766
2) the circular path make the tester feel in a defined
place, there isn’t anything surprising that happens
Chirico, A., Cipresso, P., Gaggioli, A. (2017). A Process for Selecting and Validating
Awe-Inducing Audio-Visual Stimuli. . Paper presented at the 6th EAI International
Symposium on Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health, Barcellona.
3) any kind of noise has been introduced in this
scenario

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Equipment

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The Awe-inducing environments experiments
Subjects pedispositions to emotions
User Study
36 subjects
18 females
average age = 23,33
18 males
average age = 23,67

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Neutral Environment
Tests results

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Forest
Tests results

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Mountains
Tests results

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Earthview from deep space
Tests results

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so the
Awe potentials
could be used by:
home user
students
hospital patient
elderly men/women
office worker
sportsmen/sportswomen

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to apply awe potentials and VREs in work environments
NWOW - New Ways Of Working
flexible working time and space management
philosophy
Design Brief

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Research
on existing innovative devices and accessories for
visualizing VR contents in these kind of offices

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About face and VR Cover
Nau2 Cocoon Concept, Immersa-Dome, Metronap Energypod
BroomX MK Player

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Online survey
to understand the interest of potential users in
awe benefits and what do they think of the first
brainstormings results
177 subjects
average age = 32,9
min=18; max=70
89 females 88 males

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Technical Feasibility
how to properly visualize VREs in a personal cocoon?

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Paul Bourke’s projection on curved mirror schemes
Paul Bourke’s truncated dome projection system

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Forest virtual dome view
Eart View from Deep Space virtual
dome view
Mountains virtual dome view
Neutral Environment virtual dome view

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DROP
Direct
Resource
Of
Positivity

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2700
2500
2750

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Storyboard

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anti-slip stripes
sound system
user’s seat

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electronic
control unit’s
cooling system projector’s case
automatic
opening
system
air refreshing system

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Chirico A., Ferrise A., Cordella L., Gaggioli
A.. Designing Awe in Virtual Reality:
An Experimental Study. (2017) Under
Review, Frontiers in Psychology, Human-
Media Interaction
29 - 30 September 2017
Milan, Italy
Science and Technology Museum
Leonardo Da Vinci

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Future developments

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