Through a truly immersive VR experience, In the Eyes of the Animal transforms the user into species of the forest, and provides a vision of the world unknown to humans. By embodying the visual and sensory perspectives of different creatures–a midge, then a dragonfly, followed by a frog, and finally an owl–the user explores how these animals see and interact with their surroundings. In the Eyes of the Animal encourages us to leave our human-centric vision for the length of the piece (and perhaps a little longer), and remember the subjective quality of perception.

The image of In the Eyes of the Animal is a composite of laser (Lidar) scans, 360-degree drone footage, computerized tomography (CT), and photogrammetry. Binaural audio simulates the 3D quality of sound in real space, and a vibrating backpack (subpac) adds a physical dimension to the soundscape. The image is built in the game engine vvvv and the positional audio is achieved through audio engine built in MaxMSP. As a result, both the image and the sound are real-time and respond to each user’s unique experience. In the Eyes of the Animal combines multiple techniques and technologies to achieve a full-body immersion in the ecosystem of the Grizedale Forest of England.