University of Greenwich-supported immersive experience wins national recognition

‘Within Touching Distance’ launched last week at the International Sheffield DocFest, developed by ZU-UK in collaboration with the University of Greenwich’s Learning and Simulation Centre, Centre for Creative Futures, Practice Hub, and external support from Liverpool Cares, DadaFest, InnovateUK and the Arts Council England.ZUUK

The unique, patient-developed production takes one audience member at a time through a journey from childhood to old age through the medium of a bedtime routine.

‘Within Touching Distance’ is part of a wider research project exploring the potential of remote haptic technologies, in the under-realised area of touch, for nurses and carers, co-designing sound and 360º video to explore the potential in healthcare simulation training and digital mental health therapy settings.

Haptics is defined as a technology that transmits tactile information using sensations such as vibration, touch, and force feedback.

The project was recently winner of Inclusive Innovation Awards 2023 (Innovate UK) and shortlisted for the Unlimited International Partner Awards 2023, and the International Alternate Realities Competition at Sheffield DocFest.

The practice research project was also presented last week at Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology: Infrastructure Roundtable. Huge congratulations to everyone involved.

Writer and director Persis Jadé Maravala, said: “Touch is important in human development, it unlocks the automatic response system of the body to recognise safety and is therefore an important tool in the treatment of mental illness and trauma. As a patient now in recovery myself, it helps with the lingering effects of depersonalisation and derealisation. We wanted to explore this through Within Touching Distance, combining touch with the synchronised use of VR in order to invite audiences to experience empathy through human contact.”

Long-term University of Greenwich partner ZU-UK is an established multi award-winning theatre and digital arts company. It is a disabled-led non-for-profit based in Newham and Liverpool and creates interactive experiences using games, performance and technology. University of Greenwich and ZU-UK have previously collaborated in other internationally acclaimed projects, including Radio Ghost – a serious game addressing human rights and climate change – winner of the Lumen Prize 2022 for Interactive Art.