Mindfulness / Technology
Immersive mindfulness: can real life compare with digital worlds?
Virtual worlds, immersive multi sensory experiences, and technologies have long been a fixture of science fiction; they conjure up memories of books and movies where all of humanity are living life remotely or via surrogate robots. With these and other possibilities, what digital world would you create to enhance contemplative experiences?
Guided meditations in virtual nature environments are being used to aid mindfulness and meditation practices, but can they have an impact on our mood and emotions? Can a multi sensory environment help soothe those in palliative care? And can it ever compare to meditating on a mountain side or deep in a forest?
Join our panel of experts as we explore the world of tech-mediated mindfulness.
Presenters
Greg Wadley teaches and researches at The University of Melbourne on topics at the intersection of computer science, psychology and medicine. He collaborates on cross-disciplinary projects to design and evaluate digital health interventions and study the co-influence of technology use and emotion, with a particular focus on support for mental health and mindfulness. He leads the Digital Health topic within the school’s Human-Computer Interaction group and co-chairs the Health Subcommittee of the international ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
Efterpi is a performing arts designer, community artist and mental health wellness facilitator. In 2007 as part of a Masters project, Efterpi began developing technology mediated spaces (known as Human Rooms) in hospitals and aged care facilities to assist people with terminal illness and dementia and their families and carers to alleviate fear, stress, anxiety and depression. The first Human Room (titled The Disambiguation Room) at McCulloch House inpatient palliative care unit was experimental and innovative exploring how art installation, multi sensory elements sound, light, image, scent and textures combined with technology could engage participants into meditative states.
Since then multiple sites in hospitals, mental health units and dementia units have developed Human Rooms as permanent installations thought Australia. Collaborators include, Monash Health, Austin Health, Calvary Healthcare, Arcare Aged Care, Blue Cross Community Aged Care, Dementia Australia, Victoria, Albany Community Hospice, WA Health, Western Australia, Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast, Queensland and Australian Regional and Remote Community Services (ARRCS) Mutitjulu-nya, Uluru , Northern Territory.
Trent is the Co-founder and CEO at PHORIA, a Melbourne based XR (Extended Reality) Studio. What started inside the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP), had evolved into an Emmy award nominated company that partners with world leaders such as Netflix, WWF, the United Nations (UN) and Oculus.
Trent and his team are on a mission to harness the power of experiential storytelling through of immersive technology. They aim to achieve by crafting transformative software and content that aim to connect people with space, nature and culture. This has resulted in the creation of a mindfulness VR platform in partnership with Swinburne University or VR conservation experiences that inspire action and change.
Zuleyha is the Course Director at the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation, Charles Sturt University. She is also a lecturer in Islamic spirituality and contemporary Islamic studies. Zuleyha is a co-founder of ISRA Australia, the Managing Editor of the Australian Journal of Islamic Studies journal and the President of the Australian Association of Islamic and Muslim Studies. Zuleyha has recently published a book titled, “Attaining Inner Peace in Islam”.
Zuleyha’s community outreach is through the frequent requests for her to present on Islamic issues, nationally and internationally. She has 20 years of experience in teaching and presenting to a range of audiences from high school students to youth and adults within the Muslim and non-Muslim community.