104871Alcove VRI Scan Project (Virtual Reality Inclusion)ClosedStudyInnovate UK"Digital exclusion means the people that could benefit the most from technology are the ones that often have the least access to it. Graphic user interface designs and interactions with smart devices often assume a level of digital literacy that many groups, like disadvantaged or cognitively impaired older adults, simply do not possess. Emerging technologies, like virtual reality, have the potential to minimise this accessibility gap by offering functionalities that are not only more user-friendly and intuitive, but allow individuals to practice new skills and experiences in a safe environment to reduce fear and anxiety of real-life situations. Alcove, a \#caretech ecosystem, plans to discover how virtual reality can best be used to improve the lives of people with a Learning Disability through proven, human-centered research and design processes with a group of adults living with learning disabilities within Essex. We will use existing consumer technology to see if virtual reality is beneficial and usable to our future customers. From their feedback, we will look to define what features and functionality address their needs and aspirations the best -- from practising and developing new life skills to experiencing quality-of-life boosting activities such as rollercoaster rides and trips to a safari or even trying a train for the first time. We will let the users choose what's important to them; then work out what's technically and commercially viable. From idea to prototype, using off the shelf applets and plugs-ins, users will then be able to try, assess, and report back on new features."