The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO): An Immersive Experience of the Ancient Greek Oracle at Dodona
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: School of Humanities
Abstract
The aim of this project is to use VR to recreate an approximation of the historical experiences (mental and somatic) of individuals consulting the ancient oracle of Zeus at Dodona and then, through user analysis, to investigate how such a recreation can help to advance understanding of (i) an ancient historical context and individual historical experiences of that context; and (ii) the design and deployment of multi-sensory VR experiences for research and educational purposes. This will be achieved by building a VR recreation of the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus and Dione at Dodona (the VRO). The VRO will, on the one hand, address questions of subjective historical experience by creating a convincing reality that will then enable the detailed exploration of the process, experience and effects of ancient oracular consultation; and, on the other hand, facilitate further research into the design of VR technologies for communication of historical experience, including both museums and classroom settings.
The VRO will recreate the experience of consulting the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus and Dione at Dodona in NW Greece during the Classical period. A broad constituency of ancient society visited this oracle: evidence shows that Dodona was consulted not only by community leaders, but also by ordinary men, women, and even slaves. This will enable the project to encompass a diverse range of ancient experiences. Moreover, the site has yielded thousands of lead tablets inscribed with questions that visitors posed to the oracle-remarkable documents for the ancient world. They show the everyday anxieties that prompted people to consult the gods, about, for example, travel, business and relationships. Alongside the question tablets, the ancient sources offer myriad possibilities for how the oracle worked, some focusing on Dodona's sacred oak tree, others on the priests and priestesses at the site.
This project will explore--and aim to recreate--the diverse experiences of consulting Dodona, by commissioning and working with a VR company to develop a virtual reality oracle (VRO). Using the question tablets found at the site, and informed by specialists in ancient Greek religion and divination, with further support from the Ephorate of Ioannina (near ancient Dodona), the VRO experience will be built around a set of stories about ancient individuals. It will evoke different contexts and subjective experiences of uncertainty and explore the various possible methods of consulting the oracle, helping historians to better understand and differentiate among these mechanisms. The design phase of the VRO will also be informed by the participation of teachers, students and museum/cultural heritage curators, who will help to ensure that the VRO excels in communicating information to different user groups.
In the second half of the project, the project will investigate user responses to the VRO both qualitatively and experimentally. This will enhance the project's ancient historical research into the experience of ancient oracular consultation: analysis of user responses by psychologists and neuroscientists will allow the project team to gauge the sensory and cognitive affects of oracular consultation, and to differentiate between different possible modes of divination. User analysis will also be used to examine how VR may be designed and deployed effectively for educational uses in classrooms and museums. Once the VRO is constructed, analysis of users of the VRO by psychologists and experts in human-computer interaction will be used to better understand the role of all the senses in a successful immersive experience, and to establish effective design parameters for immersive VR environments.
The VRO will recreate the experience of consulting the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus and Dione at Dodona in NW Greece during the Classical period. A broad constituency of ancient society visited this oracle: evidence shows that Dodona was consulted not only by community leaders, but also by ordinary men, women, and even slaves. This will enable the project to encompass a diverse range of ancient experiences. Moreover, the site has yielded thousands of lead tablets inscribed with questions that visitors posed to the oracle-remarkable documents for the ancient world. They show the everyday anxieties that prompted people to consult the gods, about, for example, travel, business and relationships. Alongside the question tablets, the ancient sources offer myriad possibilities for how the oracle worked, some focusing on Dodona's sacred oak tree, others on the priests and priestesses at the site.
This project will explore--and aim to recreate--the diverse experiences of consulting Dodona, by commissioning and working with a VR company to develop a virtual reality oracle (VRO). Using the question tablets found at the site, and informed by specialists in ancient Greek religion and divination, with further support from the Ephorate of Ioannina (near ancient Dodona), the VRO experience will be built around a set of stories about ancient individuals. It will evoke different contexts and subjective experiences of uncertainty and explore the various possible methods of consulting the oracle, helping historians to better understand and differentiate among these mechanisms. The design phase of the VRO will also be informed by the participation of teachers, students and museum/cultural heritage curators, who will help to ensure that the VRO excels in communicating information to different user groups.
In the second half of the project, the project will investigate user responses to the VRO both qualitatively and experimentally. This will enhance the project's ancient historical research into the experience of ancient oracular consultation: analysis of user responses by psychologists and neuroscientists will allow the project team to gauge the sensory and cognitive affects of oracular consultation, and to differentiate between different possible modes of divination. User analysis will also be used to examine how VR may be designed and deployed effectively for educational uses in classrooms and museums. Once the VRO is constructed, analysis of users of the VRO by psychologists and experts in human-computer interaction will be used to better understand the role of all the senses in a successful immersive experience, and to establish effective design parameters for immersive VR environments.
Planned Impact
This project has identified three main strands of impact, each of which will reach a variety of stakeholders, generating economic, social and cultural benefits. These are listed below, first by describing the kind of impact, then by listing the sectors that will benefit:
1. How: By providing innovative content to industry, public sector organisations, education and the public: The innovative product will provide cutting-edge, but affordable, content and resources for use in both museum and educational settings, which is also accessible for use by the general public through the project website.
- Who will benefit: specific VR company. The commissioning of the VRO will provide an SME with the opportunity to work in an innovative and creative direction, without the usual constraints of a commercial contract. We will give them the license to show this work as they choose, which will lead to its dissemination in both industry-specific and public contexts (e.g., as part of a show-reel or at public-facing festivals).
- Who will benefit: museum sector. Specific beneficiaries will include Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, We the Curious, Bristol, and Ioannina Museum in Greece. Kings College London's Culture Team will also display the VRO in a public display space on the Strand campus. These displays will increase cultural and knowledge capital for users, and we also expect there to be economic benefits for some of these organisations, since it will lead to increases in visitor numbers.
- Who will benefit: educational sector. The VRO will provide a resource for teaching about the ancient world, for all courses that concern ancient cultures, in particular ancient religion. It will be particularly relevant to the OCR A-level Ancient History course, which asks students to learn about the experience of consulting the oracle of Zeus at Dodona. But it will also be useful for teaching in other disciplines that consider ritual, divination, questions concerned with living with uncertainty, and future studies, such as anthropology or area studies.
2. How: By enhancing the knowledge and creative economies:
- Who will benefit: the VR and immersive content industries. By demonstrating the development, production and use of VR for an educational purpose, the project will also have broader impacts both for the VR and immersive content industry, and for related creative and cultural industries. Not only will it provide an example of the use of VR/Immersive technology for educational use, it will also inform best practice, as a demonstration of an interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral project that brings together a range of stakeholders to develop creative educational VR products.
- Who will benefit: the UK economy. Such developments in the creative industries will also lead to the fostering of the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom.
3. How: By increasing public knowledge and understanding of i) ancient and modern cultures; ii) immersive technologies.
- Who will benefit: members of the wider public with an interest in ancient history and culture, especially religion, divination and other rituals will be able to learn more both about the oracle at Dodona and more broadly about these larger themes concerning the content of the VRO. This information will be available both through the museum displays and the project website, and will be enhanced with public-facing events, including public lectures, talks at festivals, blog postings and related activities with the industry partner on this project.
- Who will benefit: members of the wider public with an interest in immersive technologies. As part of the displays and on the website, the project will provide information about the production of the VRO, the psychological and neuroscientific aspects of its design, and industry practice.
1. How: By providing innovative content to industry, public sector organisations, education and the public: The innovative product will provide cutting-edge, but affordable, content and resources for use in both museum and educational settings, which is also accessible for use by the general public through the project website.
- Who will benefit: specific VR company. The commissioning of the VRO will provide an SME with the opportunity to work in an innovative and creative direction, without the usual constraints of a commercial contract. We will give them the license to show this work as they choose, which will lead to its dissemination in both industry-specific and public contexts (e.g., as part of a show-reel or at public-facing festivals).
- Who will benefit: museum sector. Specific beneficiaries will include Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, We the Curious, Bristol, and Ioannina Museum in Greece. Kings College London's Culture Team will also display the VRO in a public display space on the Strand campus. These displays will increase cultural and knowledge capital for users, and we also expect there to be economic benefits for some of these organisations, since it will lead to increases in visitor numbers.
- Who will benefit: educational sector. The VRO will provide a resource for teaching about the ancient world, for all courses that concern ancient cultures, in particular ancient religion. It will be particularly relevant to the OCR A-level Ancient History course, which asks students to learn about the experience of consulting the oracle of Zeus at Dodona. But it will also be useful for teaching in other disciplines that consider ritual, divination, questions concerned with living with uncertainty, and future studies, such as anthropology or area studies.
2. How: By enhancing the knowledge and creative economies:
- Who will benefit: the VR and immersive content industries. By demonstrating the development, production and use of VR for an educational purpose, the project will also have broader impacts both for the VR and immersive content industry, and for related creative and cultural industries. Not only will it provide an example of the use of VR/Immersive technology for educational use, it will also inform best practice, as a demonstration of an interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral project that brings together a range of stakeholders to develop creative educational VR products.
- Who will benefit: the UK economy. Such developments in the creative industries will also lead to the fostering of the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom.
3. How: By increasing public knowledge and understanding of i) ancient and modern cultures; ii) immersive technologies.
- Who will benefit: members of the wider public with an interest in ancient history and culture, especially religion, divination and other rituals will be able to learn more both about the oracle at Dodona and more broadly about these larger themes concerning the content of the VRO. This information will be available both through the museum displays and the project website, and will be enhanced with public-facing events, including public lectures, talks at festivals, blog postings and related activities with the industry partner on this project.
- Who will benefit: members of the wider public with an interest in immersive technologies. As part of the displays and on the website, the project will provide information about the production of the VRO, the psychological and neuroscientific aspects of its design, and industry practice.
Organisations
- University of Bristol (Lead Research Organisation)
- Bishop Thomas Grant School (Collaboration)
- Badminton School (Collaboration)
- Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery (Collaboration)
- University of Augsburg (Collaboration)
- We The Curious (Collaboration)
- Friday Sundae (Collaboration)
- Bristol Grammar School (Collaboration)
- University of the West of England (Collaboration)
- Guildford High School (Collaboration)
- Ephorate of Antiquities, Ioannina (Collaboration)
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports (Project Partner)
- Bristol Museum & Art Gallery (Project Partner)
- We The Curious Limited (Project Partner)
Publications
Eidinow E
(2022)
Cognitive Approaches to Ancient Religious Experience
Eidinow E
(2022)
Cognitive Approaches to Ancient Religious Experience
Eidinow E
(2022)
Divination and Prophecy in the Ancient Greek World
Wilson H
(2023)
EEG-based BCI Dataset of Semantic Concepts for Imagination and Perception Tasks
in Scientific Data
Eidinow E
(2021)
Gift of a Book Studi in memoria di David Jordan
Eidinow E
(2022)
I-Thou-Nymph: a relational approach to ancient Greek religious devotion
in Religion
Cole R
(2021)
Introducing Friday Sundae
Cole R
(2022)
Mashing Up History and Heritage in Assassin's Creed Odyssey
in Games and Culture
| Title | Aulos Music for the VRO |
| Description | Aulos music created and performed by Callum Armstrong to provide music for the Intro, credits and ritual events within the Virtual Reality Oracle |
| Type Of Art | Composition/Score |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | It will be experienced in the VRO, so the impacts are yet to be known |
| Description | We had key findings from our ancient history work package and our psychology work package: Ancient History: Through this VR imagining of the ancient site of Dodona, based on research with ancient historians, we have discovered a possible topography of the site (including a campsite, market place, and sacred way). We have discovered a possible ritual process for the divinatory activity that took place at the site, basing this material on research with ancient historians, anthropologists and neuroscientists specialising in modes of possession. Psychology: The VRO was used in psychological experiments to show: i) 'for the first time how imaginative suggestibility is a major factor which affects presence and emotions experienced in VR, while priming cues have no effect on participants' (n=128) user experience, contrasting results from prior work'; and ii) 'Counter to previous assumptions, technical factors did not affect presence directly but were moderated through human factors'. These findings are reported in papers accepted at the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), April 2023. |
| Exploitation Route | We will be launching the VRO in all its forms (as an App on Google and Metaquest, as a 'magic window' and as videos), along with the website at the Classical Association conference in April 2023, to classics teachers and researchers. At that point, it will be accessible to all. We envisage, for example, teachers using it to develop their teaching, and to further research on VR uses in educational settings; and researchers in a variety of disciplines using the VR to explore aspects of their particular disciplines, whether that focuses on historical research or research on human-computer interaction or psychology or neuroscience. We are particularly hopeful that future studies will take a similar interdisciplinary approach to research on VR, as modelled by this project. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Retail |
| Description | We regard the findings of the project as included in the creation of the virtual reality experience, the VRO. These include an experience of visiting the site; the nature of the ritual; the use of the lead question tablets; the focus of the site and experience of the site on the tree and its role in the divinatory process. We have taken the VRO into two settings for public engagement: Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in Summer 2022, and Kings Culture, The Arcade, on the Strand, in London in Spring 2023. In both cases we have collected feedback from those who viewed the experience and the impact on their understanding of ancient cultures and of ancient ritual experience is clear. A sample of the over 150 responses we have collected is below: - 'Although I had some initial knowledge of the ancient world, it was mainly about the ancient gods. In this VR experience I got to see how ordinary people live, dress and worship Zeus. In particular, it was interesting to see that sacrifices and praying were how ordinary people emulated their belief.' - 'This VR experience gave an immersive exploration into Greek religion and society. I had been aware of some aspects of their superstition (e.g., the use of oracle advice to make decisions, soldiers at Marathon seeing mythical heroes in the heat of battle) but I had not known about the use of wine as a sacrifice, or that Zeus was associated with oak trees and doves.' - 'Humanised people from that time and the VR made the characters in it relatable so I can understand why people in the ancient world interacted with the world in the way that they did.' We have also taken the VRO into classrooms with our partner schools: the feedback from students and children has been very positive and encouraging. One teacher told us (taken from interview transcript): - 'What we found was that once the students started using the headsets, they were, they were gone, they were in Dodona. They were experiencing it, and so I was reluctant to draw them out of that when they were, clearly clearly enjoy enjoying it....I'm a sort of great believer in getting the students to be as interactive as possible, and to, you know, to be able to experience things themselves. So that was obviously a really, a really useful resource, because then we talk about it afterwards. They could talk about it with each other....I'm just in the process of marking their mocks, and they're definitely talking more about Dodona than I think they would have done previous to the VRO. And I also think it has it just, I think it's just more memorable for them. So they're more likely to remember details about the site itself and the type of consultations in the process, which is all part of that experience.' Another teacher told us how stimulating it had been as a mode of learning about the ancient world: - 'They came up with questions that I hadn't thought of that started off from it. But you know the amount that I got out of them afterwards, where they said: "Did you notice the tree? And it was doing this...", or "Did you notice the type of music that was on?" And I I might say "I haven't thought about that"... One of them mentioned Glastonbury festival, you know. You get special rates if you live in the area, you know, and also things like that. And I was thinking how have they linked that into their own experience. It's because rather than reading it from a textbook, they're actually in the world.' |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | British Academy ECRN Fund for the UK Digital Game Lab Summit |
| Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2022 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Faculty of Arts Conference and Event Fund for the UK Digital Game Lab Summit |
| Amount | £1,370 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Faculty of Arts Group/Centre Fund for an International Game Lab Exchange |
| Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Faculty of Arts Research Group Fund for The Bristol Digital Game Lab |
| Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2022 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | International Strategic Fund for an International Game Lab Exchange |
| Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 2084377 |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship |
| Amount | £178,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 2022-7103 |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Research Staff Development Fund 2022-23 for travel to the Celtic Conference in Classics in Coimbra, Portgual |
| Amount | £400 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2022 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Title | The Virtual Reality Oracle: Resources for teachers and students |
| Description | The VRO teaching resources website (http://www.vroracle.co.uk/db) is a databased resource of audio visual resources for use by teachers and students while using the Virtual Reality Oracle interactive experience. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | No impacts yet. The resource is currently in beta and will be launch publicly in April 2023. |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/db/ |
| Description | Advisory Board member from ACE - Film and Journalism dept, UWE |
| Organisation | University of the West of England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning to help guide and advise on the Virtual Reality project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of ongoing support and guidance to the project, particularly in reference to the development and publicity around the tendering process. |
| Impact | Successful appointment of VR Production company - support and advice was sought and given. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Badminton School |
| Organisation | Badminton School |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning with the development of the Virtual Reality project to ensure that it meets the demands and needs of the educators teaching on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed us via interviews about design of Virtual Reality Oracle |
| Impact | ongoing |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Bishop Thomas Grant School |
| Organisation | Bishop Thomas Grant School |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning with the development of the Virtual Reality project to ensure that it meets the demands and needs of the educators teaching on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed us via interviews about design of Virtual Reality Oracle |
| Impact | ongoing |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Bristol Grammar School |
| Organisation | Bristol Grammar School |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning with the development of the Virtual Reality project to ensure that it meets the demands and needs of the educators teaching on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed us via interviews about design of Virtual Reality Oracle and members of the Advisory Board to help guide the project. |
| Impact | ongoing |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Bristol Museum and Art Gallery |
| Organisation | Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Interviews and involvement in design meetings, discussions about forthcoming exhibition plans. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed design of Virtual Reality Oracle, Advisory Board involvement, helping to guide project. |
| Impact | Meetings and interviews. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Ephorate of Antiquities, Ioannina |
| Organisation | Ephorate of Antiquities, Ioannina |
| Country | Greece |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Invitation to speak at Ancient History Research meetings on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contributions made include presenting at Ancient History meetings and engagement in relevant discussions. |
| Impact | Ancient History meetings which took place September 2020, other outcomes ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Friday Sundae |
| Organisation | Friday Sundae |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Regular design meetings between multiple members of the research team with Friday Sundae in order to develop the Virtual Reality Oracle. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Friday Sundae are the VR production company appointed following the formal tendering process which took place in 2020 (October- December 2020). Their team collaborate with the research team to develop the Virtual Reality Oracle. |
| Impact | A contract is in place with Friday Sundae, including milestones. The collaborartion is multi disciplinary including ancient history, Human Computer Interaction, Psychology, Neuroscience and games design. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Guildford High School |
| Organisation | Guildford High School |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning with the development of the Virtual Reality project to ensure that it meets the demands and needs of the educators teaching on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed us via interviews about design of Virtual Reality Oracle |
| Impact | ongoing |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | University of Augsburg |
| Organisation | University of Augsburg |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Invited to engage from the beginning with the development of the Virtual Reality project to ensure that it meets the demands and needs of the educators teaching on Dodona. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed us via interviews about design, participated in history meetings. |
| Impact | Participation in history meeting, other outputs ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | We the Curious |
| Organisation | We The Curious |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Invited to participate in design meetings and interviews. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Informed the design of the Virtual Reality Oracle through their involvement in design meetings and interviews, involved in the Advisory Board |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Title | The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) |
| Description | The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO) is a first-person virtual reality experience of oracular divination at the ancient Greek oracle of Zeus at Dodona c. 465 BCE. It is compatible with Android-based smartphones and the Meta Quest VR headset platform. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Currently in closed alpha testing. Public roll-out is scheduled for April 2023. |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/experience |
| Title | The Virtual Reality Oracle (VRO): Online teaching resource |
| Description | The Virtual Reality Oracle teaching resource is a web-based companion to the VRO virtual reality experience that provides teachers and students with detailed background and historical sources for the VR experience. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | The teaching resources have been tested with a cohort of partner schools. It is currently a closed programme but will be launched to the public in April 2023. |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/ |
| Description | Ancient evidence workshops, September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The two day Ancient evidence workshops brought together academics from across a range of specialisms and disciplines. The sessions included presentations on aspects of particular relevance to the development of the Virtual Reaity Oracle. The workshop facilitated discussion around some of the key challenges in developing the VRO to ensure historical authenticity and plausibility. The contributors to the workshop were engaged and plans for future engagement were discussed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Bristol Classical Association Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Esther Eidinow, Richard Cole and Chris Bevan presented the Virtual Reality Oracle at the Bristol Classical Association on Monday 3rd October. Up to 100 people attended the talk and around 30 were able to experience the Virtual Reality Oracle on Meta Quest headsets. The team gathered feedback from those who experienced the Virtual Reality Oracle. Following this presentation, the team were invited to present the Virtual Reality Oracle to English PGCE students at the University of Bristol in January 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Bristol Digital Game Lab - Gaming and VR Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Bristol Digital Game Lab hosted a Gaming and VR Workshop where participants could try out virtual experiences being developed at the University of Bristol. Professor Esther Eidinow and Dr Richard Cold demonstrated the Virtual Reality Oracle. The Game Lab helped to source specialist feedback from gamers who attended the session on the VRO. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://bristoldigitalgamelab.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2022/10/01/118/ |
| Description | Buzz Magazine online (Wales' what's on magazine) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Buzz Magazine - Wales' premier What's On guide published a preview of the Virtual Reality Oracle experience at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery for their July 2022 issue. The publication helped to direct traffic to the Museum website and booking page. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://content.yudu.com/web/fiqy/0Al7zj/BuzzJuly22/html/index.html?page=6&origin=reader |
| Description | Early Career Researcher training session on interdisciplinary collaboration within the creative industries delivered March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Prof Kirsten Cater gave a training workshop on how to build interdisciplinary collaboration with creative industries on the 10th of March 2022 to 25 early career academics from across the University of Bristol. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Esther Eidinow delivers research seminar paper, Warwick Classics and Ancient History Dept, Feb 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Esther Eidinow delivered a presentation in this online research seminar. Questions from the audience sparked interesting discussions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Exhibiting the VRO at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle was on display as a pop-up exhibition in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery at the end of July 2022. The team were housed in the Assyrian Gallery of the museum, where we set up our information panels and welcomed museum visitors back in time to the site of Dodona in the fifth-century BCE. All our bookings were filled; passing interest was very high and we were also able to squeeze in some additional viewings. Over four days, 74 museum visitors saw the VRO. Our visitors ranged in age from 13 to over 65. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and most people felt that it had changed their view of the ancient world. Visitors told us how much they enjoyed meeting the characters at the oracle-and witnessing their stories-one person said her visit included 'a real EastEnders' moment'. Many people felt a strong sense of spirituality. Even for those who already knew about ancient cultures, their feedback showed that they had gained a new perspective on it. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/article/12/ |
| Description | Exhibiting the VRO at King's College London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle held a three day exhibition at King's College London in January 2023. In total, 80 people experienced what it was like to ask the oracle of Zeus at Dodona a question, as fifth-century BCE pilgrims once did. Although the experience was fully booked, the team managed to fit in further walk-ins on each of the three days. Attendees ranged in age from under 18 to over 65. Feedback highlighted how much attendees enjoyed the VR experience, while also showing the ways in which the experience potentially changed how people think about the ancient world. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/article/15/ |
| Description | Explore sessions for Y12 students from groups under represented in Higher Education (3 separate days) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Part of a programme of activity designed to enthuse and engage local Y12 students from under represented groups in Higher Education with Arts and Engineering. Attendees could view a variety of VR pieces including the brand new Virtual Reality Oracle as well as other VR experiences and we talked to them about immersive technologies and their many and varied current applications areas, as well as discussing future technological advancements. Across the three days we engaged with c300 students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.myworld-creates.com/myworlds-explore-workshop/ |
| Description | FUTURES 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle set up a pop-up exhibition at FUTURES 2022 on the S.S. Great Britain in September 2022, a free festival of discovery for all ages to celebrate research and innovation taking place across the South West. The team met with families to talk about our work recreating the ancient oracle of Zeus at Dodona in VR. Around 17 people actually tried the Virtual Reality Oracle using Meta Quest headsets. The team gathered feedback on the experience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://futuresnight.co.uk/ |
| Description | FUTURES, November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Virtual Reality Oracle team took part in the "Curiosity Carousel" which was part of the schedule of events for FUTURES 2020 celebrating European Researchers Night. This popular public engagement event took place online for 2020 due to Covid. The Curiosity Carousel was a virtual research fair, hosted in collaboration with the SS Great Britain, and delivered using the online platform REMO to create a virtual conference hall containing 18 research stands, Attendees were able to move around the conference hall and stop at a research stand. Attendees and researchers could then see and hear each other, and researchers were able to share their research in various ways: they spoke to attendees, showed demonstrations or videos, ran a mini-quiz, and answered attendees' questions.The event allowed the researchers to engage directly with the public about the research being undertaken and was a good opportunity to receive feedback directly from the public. Feedback received by the organisers from attendees was positive and made particular reference to the VR team involved in the event being interesting and engaging. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Focus Groups on the VRO Website and Teaching Resources |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In June 2021 and February 2022, the VRO team hosted a series of focus groups with five different schools affiliated with the project on the development of the VRO website and teaching resources, which will accompany the release of the VRO. The aim was to gather feedback from school teachers on the type of resources that would enhance the teaching of the topic of Dodona in the A-level Classical Civilization syllabus. In June 2021, we asked what type of teaching resources would be most helpful. In February 2022, we discussed whether the resources we had developed were suitable. The consensus was that the resources are comprehensive, concise and accessible for teachers and students alike. The teachers all agreed that they would use the resources in their classes. They also requested that the VRO team develop lesson plans to accompany the resources. It was agreed to release the resources via the VRO website with teaching plans for the start of the academic year 2022/23. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| URL | http://vroracle.co.uk/ |
| Description | History Hack Podcast: Ancient History, Virtual Reality & Video gaming |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I joined Zack from History Hack for a 'cameras on' interview all about the role of historians in shaping video games and virtual reality. We also discussed the history of game genres, the ethics and complexities of representing the past virtually, and where things might go in the future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://historyhack.podbean.com/e/history-hack-virtual-reality/ |
| Description | Hugh Bowden gave online talk to schools on Dodona Oracle |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The online talk entitled "Visiting the Oracle of Dodona" took place in November 2020. Aimed at students in KS5 and their teachers, it focused on Dodona which is included in the A level syllabus. The live talk had an audience of approximately 60 from 11 different schools across the country. The talk was recorded and is published on the KCL website as well as linked form the Virtual Reality Oracle project website so will have a wider reach than the original live audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://media.kcl.ac.uk/media/Visiting+the+Oracle+at+Dodona+-+School+Talk+November+25th+2020/1_9m823... |
| Description | Livestreaming event for SASA (Save Ancient Studies Alliance) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The Save Ancient Studies Alliance Gaming Team invited Richard Cole & Esther Eidinow to talk about The Virtual Reality Oracle on their Archaeogaming Series on Twitch. The team showed clips from The Virtual Reality Oracle, and discussed representations of oracles in gaming generally. The aim was to publicize The Virtual Reality Oracle to an international audience of Classicists interested in virtual representations of the past. As a result of this collaboration, one of the co-hosts of the Archaeogaming Series, Alexander Vandewalle, will be presenting at The Virtual Reality Oracle workshop on Virtual Realities as Time Travel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1617907640?collection=eDXbw-duFRfVCg |
| Description | Made in Bristol: Games Showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Bristol Digital Game Lab sponsored the Made in Bristol: Games Showcase event on Thursday 27 October 2022, run by the Bristol Game Hub. The event took the form of a public showcase of games released or in development from local developers. The Bristol Digital Game Lab demonstrated the Virtual Reality Oracle and sought feedback from local industry players. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://bristoldigitalgamelab.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2022/10/28/the-bristol-game-showcase/ |
| Description | Museum/Exhibit Space Engagement (multiple) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | At least six meetings March - December 2021 and two meetings in January 2022 have taken place between members of the VRO Project Team and staff at exhibit spaces The Strand (Kings College London), We The Curious and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery to discuss exhibiting the VR Oracle in 2022 and 2023. Each exhibit space has different audiences and needs when exhibiting. These meetings have facilitated an understanding between exhibit staff and VRO Project staff as to what will be required of each party to ensure we can exhibit successfully and engage our intended audiences, whilst managing expectations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021,2022 |
| Description | MyWorld supported 2 day GameJam Nov 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | MyWorld sponsored the "Its not a Bug its a feature" GameJam which was organised with the Computer Science Student Society. We collaborated with colleagues from Aardman, Bristol Digital Game Lab and from MyWorld and the event was a great success. SK, President of the Computer Science Society said "We saw an impressive range of games, with everyone bringing a unique interpretation of the theme. The event was a phenomenal success, and I'm glad that everyone enjoyed it! We greatly appreciate MyWorld's support in connecting us with sponsors from the gaming industry and sourcing judges with relevant expertise." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.myworld-creates.com/myworld-gamesjam/ |
| Description | News item published about the launch of Virtual Reality Oracle project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | News piece about the Virtual Reality Oracle project was published on the University of Bristol Classics website and several tweets were sent out from University of Bristol Classics, Engineering and Virtual Realities Immersive Documentary Encounters project which were then more widely shared. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/classics/research/vr-oracle/ |
| Description | Online VRO Workshop for Teachers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Richard Cole and Chris Bevan presented their work on the Virtual Reality Oracle website, and took feedback from teachers who would be trialing using the educational resources developed alongside the Virtual Reality Oracle experience in their teaching practice. The short articles and image database were developed in collaboration with teachers on the project, who noted how comprehensive the educational resources were. The team also took feedback on the draft teaching guide for Classics teachers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://www.vroracle.co.uk/db/ |
| Description | Publication of Blog on Classics For All's Ad Familiares Blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Blog on the generation of the Virtual Reality Oracle |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://classicsforall.org.uk/reading-room/ad-familiares/visiting-ancient-oracle-zeus-dodona |
| Description | School Visits (multiple) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In October and November of 2021, the VRO team visited five different schools to observe how teachers taught the topic of Dodona for the A-Level Classical Civilization syllabus without the VRO. Students also filled in questionnaires provided by the VRO team. The aim is to use the results of these questionnaires and the notes made during observation as a baseline for how the topic is taught, and to compare this to how the topic is taught with the VRO in 2022/23. After the lessons, the VRO team demonstrated VR technology to the students, and discussed the VRO project further with the teachers. Plans were made to return to the schools to observe revision classes in early 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | School of Education PGCE Session |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle team were asked to deliver a training session for English PGCE students at the University of Bristol, School of Education. Esther Eidinow presented the project and the trailer for the Virtual Reality Oracle. Richard Cole and Chris Bevan supported the presentation, and demonstrated the Virtual Reality Oracle using Meta Quest headsets and the magic window mode on iPads. The PGCE students discussed how they might incorporate the Virtual Reality Oracle into their English lessons, as well as their own PGCE projects. The School of Education has asked the team to present the Virtual Reality Oracle at two further events, one for MSc students and another for the whole School for their 'Conversations in Education' series. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School presentation (USP College, Essex) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This was a presentation by Esther Eidinow and Chris Bevan to students and their teachers at USP College, Essex: students comprised students of Classical Civilisation and students studying digital humanities and VR. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | ScienceUp Consortium 2030 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Sharing of good practice from the UK with a consortium of 3 Chilean universities to help promote and support innovation, entrepreneurship, industry collaboration and female leadership. As an international advisor to three Chilean universities KC shared her experiences in these areas including the VRO project. International but predominately Chilean, included government ministers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.noticias.ucn.cl/destacado/consorcio-science-up-realizo-exitoso-encuentro-anual-en-valpar... |
| Description | Seminar introducing immersive technologies to a mixture of academic and Professional Services staff at University of Bristol |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Prof Cater gave an in person seminar introducing immersive technologies to demonstrate the breadth of application areas to a group of 30 staff from the University of Bristol who were inexperienced in immersive technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Seminar presentation on Lead for Open University seminar series - talking about Dodona tablets |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hugh Bowden talked about his research on the material aspects of the lead tablets from Dodona, including where the lead came from, the life-cycle of the tablets, and what light this information casts on our understanding of the oracle. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | The Ancient World in Video Games and VR (Sherborn School Classics Society) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | A presentation on The Ancient World in Video Games and VR for Sherborne School's Classics Society, which sparked questions and discussion afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | The Legacy of Rome Total War is Better Than You Think |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed as an historical expert on the To Nerd is to Human YouTube channel about the legacy and cultural impact of the 2004 video game Rome: Total War. There have been 56 comments on the video, in addition to 2, 476 views and 159 likes. In the comments, viewers appear to have been encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of the game, as well as how thinking about the game in different ways can shift our understanding of its legacy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeezpff1LLo |
| Description | The Virtual Reality Oracle - Collaborating with Friday Sundae Studio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I wrote a piece on the project's partnership with Friday Sundae for the University of Bristol Arts Faculty Newsletter. The theme for the Newsletter was Collaborations and Partnerships. The piece has helped to raise the profile of the Virtual Reality Oracle project within the Faculty, along with the work we are doing with Friday Sundae. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://sway.office.com/g6FDB1VuS1SC470r?ref=email |
| Description | Virtual Reality Oracle Bidders Conference, November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle bidders conference was an online event which engaged with Virtual Reality production companies. It was part of the Virtual Reality Oracle formal tendering process. The Bidders Conference was very well attended by over 30 interested parties, many of whom went on to submit a tender for the development work. It took place online, and we received positive feedback from companies who attended. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Virtual Reality Oracle project website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Virtual Reality Oracle project website launched early 2021, and will be further developed throughout the project. It includes useful resources for schools which will be built upon as the project progresses. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023 |
| URL | http://vroracle.co.uk |
| Description | Visits to Multiple Partner Schools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In October 2022, the VRO team visited five different schools to support teachers in using the VRO to teach the topic of Dodona for the A-Level Classical Civilization syllabus. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Work experience sessions for Y10 students from under represented groups in Higher Education July 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Work experience sessions on Immersive Technologies were delivered to students as part of a Work Experience week. The students were able to get hands-on with virtual reality headsets experiencing the immersive world and engage in workshop activities that looked at the ethical considerations of future immersive technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.myworld-creates.com/skills-training-work-experience-activities/ |
| Description | Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation about oracles/prophecy and the VRO project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |