Bodily Autonomy VR Lab

Bodily Autonomy VR Laboratory is a game in which users experiment with body modifications only possible in Virtual Reality (VR). Using a VR headset and motion tracking controllers, players are transported to a virtual environment in which they can experiment with unique body modifications. Four predefined bodies, each abstract representation of the way the body is distorted by the gaze in society, serve as initial parameters for distortion. Sexual Objectification, Disability, Ageism, and Beauty Non- Compliance are represented as judgments that distort the body. Eventually, players will author their own body modifications, replacing the bodies set by the designer. Throughout the experience, players visit environments thematically tied to each of the four initial bodies. Their movement through the world and other interactions elicit the gradual distortion of their bodies. The purpose of Bodily Autonomy VR Laboratory is allow players to engage playfully with the philosophical implications of the virtual reality body. By allowing players to immerse themselves in a world where the body is in flux, Bodily Autonomy VR Laboratory prompts empathetic reflection about our relationship with all sorts of embodiments, including virtual ones.