New Holly Virtual Reality

RantWoman imagines the following moment:

Alexa, tell me the name of that movie about Virtual Reality and People with Disabilities that was at the library awhile ago.

Huh?

Alexa, how are you any better than Eliza, the online psychiatrist program Rantwoman played with in college.?Eliza was NOT a good source of psychiatric counsel. For one thing, it would be quite easy to wind up feeling worse from the limitations of Eliza’s ability to interact.

Never Mind. Mental note: search strings “meat space.” “augmented reaity” “virtual reality.” RantWoman is aware that many people with physical disabilities are very interested in virtual reality as the next frontier in exploring things ther cannot do at all in “meat space.” RantWoman herself is not super into gaming or into needing to put on some complicated helmet to relax and consumer entertainment, but is intrigued by things like haptic gloves that might help potential to help someone who needs tactile sign language interpreting.  Anyway RantWoman is always willing to listen to a good Gee Whiz story.

 Cut to the recent virtual reality “pop-up” at the New Holly Gathering Center

 

An online promo. RantWoman hopes there was good signage or dissemination in other media too.
One online announcement

 Here is a promo article from before the event

South Seattle Emerald Preview of Virtual Reality popup at New Holly

 An article after the fact

Starbird Reality Item about Virtual Reality popup at New Holly

 

RantWoman comments about the reporting and a further conversation:
RantWoman would have loved some Gee whiz comments from people who came,not just presenters.

RantWoman is impressed that there were people for WTIA and the Seattle Office of Economic Development. RantWoman considers that a constructive way to work with findings from the most recent Fair Housing Assessment: affordable housing is more likely to be located in areas with relatively less economic opportunity. RantWoman would consider it an awesome outcome if more popups led to opportunities right in the area perhaps addressing problems in the immediate vicinity.

 

To STAR Center Colleague, thanks for the link about the thing at New Holly. Now, did you go to the virtual Reality thing at New Holly?

 

Yeah and it was REALLY COOL!

The place was packed. There were several stations and there were LONG lines to try the experiences offered at each station. STAR Center colleague uses a wheelchair and found someone helping him bypass the long lines.

 

Favorite moments:

 At one station, an “immersive” event under the sea with a shipwreck in one direction and a winking whale in another direction.

 At the second station, a hand crawling along the ground (kind of like Cousin It in that 60’s show…). The hand started crawling up something and that it became clear the hand was crawling up a giant robot. The hand crawled along and then attached itself correctly to the robot!

 At another station, there was an archery event. STAR Center Colleague said he could actually feel the tension as he drew the bowstring back! RantWoman has dabbled enough with archery to think this would definitely be really cool thought Rantwoman would also wish for some kind of sonic cue to help with aiming.

STAR Center colleague is definitely interested in ways to follow up.

 RantWoman is not that into having to navigate big crowded room but loves passing oninfo about cool events.

One more comment from the followup article: RantWoman appreciates some notes of returning to one’s roots, but “transracial” is NOT a thing. Perhaps interracial or multiracial. If Rantwoman were being editor, Rantwoman would probably ask what the author meant and then supply a link to say, the recent Ijeoma Oluo Interview with Rachel Dolezal and then try to get to a better word for what was meant. RantWoman says this fully aware that her blog is full of MANY moments that probably would benefit from tighter and more thoughtful editing. Now, can we do editing exercises or complex social discussions through virtual reality????