We are delighted to welcome Dr Mairéad de Róiste to deliver the 3rd GISRUK Seminar series lecture. Dr. de Róiste is an Associate Professor/Reader in Geographic Information Science (GIS) at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Thinking about space in virtual reality

ABSTRACT

Covid disruption to socialising, working and travel over the last two years have meant a reconsideration of travel to physical spaces. Visiting locations plays an important part in the sense of place and creation of identity.Changing technologies and lower costs make virtual reality (VR) technology more accessible. Immersive environments allow users to visit physical locations that may otherwise be restricted. Geographic applications that try to faithfully recreate the natural environment face distinct challenges. The impact on sense of place and spatial reconstruction based on VR is worth exploring. Geography can be bent, twisted or even folded. This talk will explore through examples, some of the geographic considerations in VR apps with a particular focus on the ongoing development of whakapapa-a-ranga, an application co-designed with Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa – an indigenous Māori iwi (tribe) in Aotearoa New Zealand.