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Björk Talks Goths and Ravers, Men and Women, Life and Death, Utopia and Cornucopia

Björk, 2024. Courtesy of Vidar Logi

GQ treks to North Africa for an intimate conversation with the ever-evolving creator about her latest metamorphosis.

By Hayley Campbell January 17, 2025

This story was featured in The Must Read, a newsletter in which our editors recommend one can’t-miss story every weekday. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

In the north of Tunisia is a former fishing village where the buildings are uniformly white and blue, and the quiet is pierced with a Muslim call to prayer five times daily. It’s awkward to get to, so of course Björk found it by accident—not by land, but by sea. In 2006 she had bought a boat at the bottom of Europe, maybe Croatia; she can’t remember. It was something like out of National Geographic, she says—“a small, fat boat, kind of like the Land Rover of boats, made to sail through ice.” This boat would become her home for three years, but soon after she bought it, something broke. Looking at the map, the closest place to go for help was the marina not far from where we’re currently sitting. “I walked up here, and I was like, What the fuck?”

When Björk talks about Sidi Bou Saïd it’s like she dreamed it. In fact, having spent years telling friends about finding “the best village in the universe,” she came back five years ago to confirm that she hadn’t. There are no cars here, apart from those belonging to the few tourists who’ve insisted on driving there and gotten stuck. The driver of my dusty, seatbelt-less taxi dropped me at the edge of the village, wordlessly slapped his thighs, and pointed to the narrow streets, a gesture that said, You’re on foot from here. Up twisting alleys and stone steps so worn by centuries of feet they look bowed, I find Björk: an Icelander in winter, delirious with African sunlight. She wears a high-neck, asymmetrical dress in multicolored pastel and neon, with jet black hair, messy eyeliner, layers of red lace tights, and—despite the perilously San Franciscan angle of the cobbled streets—camel-colored platform tabis. A swan dress may have stood out on the red carpet in 2001, but here among the stray cats she looks beamed down from space. This is Björk on vacation.

Björk, 2024. Courtesy of Vidar Logi

We were supposed to meet in Iceland, but Björk looked at her calendar and realized that if she didn’t take a holiday right this second there would “never, ever be one, ever.” She needed a break; she has just finished work on a film, Cornucopia, that is the culmination of 10 years of her life. It documents one night, in Lisbon, of a five-year, 45-date world tour whose production was so elaborate that the film begins with a written statement trying to explain it; the set was a “monster” so elaborate to transport that Björk did other stripped-back shows—“Björk Orkestral,” where she would turn up at the venue with nothing but a dress in a bag—to pay for it. “I did say to my manager, Listen, I will only do this one time—sorry!” she says, laughing. “Even though it's sold-out, it doesn't pay for moving all these screens everywhere.…”

GQ: Why was this live show so complex?

Björk: I had been working in VR and 360 visuals for a few years. I was just thinking in 360, and I was working with a lot of animators: seven VR videos with seven different teams. A lot of this stuff, some of it was in the VR videos that a lot of people didn't see, even though we took that to 19 cities. It's very particular people that go to a digital exhibition to stand in a queue and see VR. And then I was like, “Okay, this is very elitism. How many people own a headset? Let's bring it out of the headset and put it on a 19th-century stage.”

When we started working on it, we got 27 screens—they open and close; that had never been done before. And also in the back there's an LED screen that's high-def, and then in front of that is normal projection, and then there's a gauze that goes in front of it. We were trying to create magica lanterna for the 21st century. We were trying to make VR analog.

Björk's Cornucopia concert in Lisbon, 2023.Courtesy of Santiago Felipe

The songs in the show jump around from different albums, largely from the last 10 years, but together they tell a story of “a modern marionette who alchemically mutates, from puppet to puppet, from the injury of a heart wound into a fully healed state.” How did you pick them?

I would say that Vulnicura [2015] was obviously a heartbreak album, and it was quite the saddest thing I've ever done—and a dark thing. So Utopia [2017] was the inventing of a new world. It was very like, Oh, this apocalypse has happened, let's go take the women and the children and go to some island with no conflict and play flutes. And so it was kind of almost like a sci-fi story, on purpose, like a fantasy. But I thought it was helpful because when you start from scratch building something, then you need to start in a very ideal way, in some ideal place.

Saying it goes straight from a heart wound to a fully healed state is an oversimplification of the story, as anyone who’s had a broken heart will know.

Yes. The tail of the dinosaur comes and you have to deal with it. Which is songs like “Sue Me,” but it's random in life anyway, how that works out. You kind of have something that feels bad that happens to you, and then straight after, you fix it and work it out. And then after that, maybe suddenly three years later, the tail of that hits you back. So time is kind of irrelevant anyway.

I wondered how much of the Cornucopia story was autobiographical in a larger sense. Are you the marionette?

Am I the marionette? [Laughs] I mean, I think it's a bit of both, of course. Sometimes when you are trying to be superpersonal and you try to boil the essence out, and then you come out with a sentence, and then other people read it and they go, “Oh, that's so universal,” and the other way around. What's so great about music is you can map out all the emotions there are, if such a map exists, and then you would put a song that fits each emotion in each box. Sometimes you are writing a song and the verses are what happened to you, it's very personal, but the choruses are something that happened to your friends five years earlier, but it is the same emotion. It's dealing with the same thing.

The songs I've written that most people think, “Oh, that's obviously a love song,” like “Come to Me”—a really old song of mine—that's written to two friends. The verse is to one friend and the chorus is to another friend, but it's definitely not erotic. So people go, “Oh, that's so sexy. What a sexy song.” And I'm like [Björk looks confused], “Thanks!” And then some other songs that for me are super erotic, I will hide it so much that people don't notice it, because it's so precious to me that I want it to be a secret between me and the lover. So it is kind of random, you know?

Björk's Cornucopia concert in Lisbon, 2023.Courtesy of Santiago Felipe

Buried in the story there seems to be a battle between mind and heart. Which one do you trust?

Well, I’d like to add some things into the mix if I could, like the soul and the instinct. I think some decisions I make are just instinct. A gut instinct, and I don't know why. I think mind can be helpful too, but it can also get in the way. But I think we need all of it, to be honest. That's the simplest answer. And I think a lot of my songs are me kind of talking myself into almost like a lesson or a class where I'm trying to learn, and I'm trying to become, hopefully, a more, I don't know…I wouldn't say better person, that's not what I'm aiming for, but just to grow. I would like to think of myself as somebody that's still growing. Very often in the lyrics, that's what I'm sort of looking back and forth at: There's moments where I will reveal my doubts, and then very often solve them in the same song.

In Cornucopia, Björk invites us to imagine a future and be in it. She sings of hope, children, utopia; in the animations, spores float, stamen twist, and shapes like calla lilies spin and unfold behind seven Icelandic flutists. It doesn’t appear in the film, but in the live shows a video message from Greta Thunberg would play before the encore—Cornucopia was both art and a political statement. Unsurprisingly, Björk has worked in environmental activism for 25 years (she is currently trying to save Iceland’s wild salmon) and is a person who needs to be in nature—preferably by the ocean, like here in Sidi Bou Saïd. She found living in New York to be stifling. Shortly before the pandemic hit, she returned to Iceland full-time, put her suitcases in the attic, and set down roots on an island that is ruled, largely, by women.

Björk's Cornucopia concert in Lisbon, 2023.Courtesy of Santiago Felipe

One song that always stuck out to me is “Tabula Rasa” from your album Utopia. There's a line in it where you say, “It is time / For us women to rise, and not just take it lying down / It is time / The world, it is listening.” It made me think of your experience with Lars von Trier in Dancer in the Dark, especially given what's happening with Blake Lively in Hollywood at the moment.

Yeah, that even made the Icelandic news. That line, I wrote it like a year or two before #MeToo. And [back] then it felt like saying something really rude. It was so obscene just to come up with a sentence like that. And now it's like drinking water—thank God it's no big deal! But then it was like, [gasps]. You know, at the moment Iceland has 11 ministers. Seven of them are women, four guys. We have a female prime minister, female president, female bishop, female head of police. I was born in a good country. It is not perfect, but I was spoiled. So I think also going to other countries and just feeling this sort of silence, you cannot speak out, it was like, What the fuck? It's so weird to be Icelandic because people say, “Oh, you're such a feminist.” And I'm like, “Well, I'm just like everybody where I come from. I'm normal.”

You say in the film that in order to survive as a species we need to define our utopia. Do you think it's matriarchal?

I work a lot with guys. I love guys. And obviously, in my life, when you look at the track lists or the personnel of all my albums, I've been blessed with incredibly talented people and friends and family. I also love DJing with a lot of bro-y techno music. I love both. I love super feminine, delicate stuff. I mean, look at me, my music—it's both. But I think now, it seems to be the world we are living in—especially in Iceland, with all these women—it could maybe assist us to transition. I mean, let's face it, it is 2025. People keep acting like the 20th century was five minutes ago. No, it was a quarter-century ago. We're 25 years into the century and we're still behaving like it's the ’80s or something. So we have to somehow do this transition, also politically and environmentally and also obviously with the queer world. It took a big jump, but then there was a backlash. In a way, you could look at Trump winning as some sort of a #MeToo backlash.

Björk DJ's in Montreal, 2016.Santiago Felipe / Getty Images

So I'm not giving you a yes or no answer to that question. I think sometimes, yes, it's great to get women to run some school or something, because some guys have fucked it up for 100 years. But sometimes women can also do strange things. They isolate somewhere, and left on their own terms they do also fucked up shit. So I don't think there's one solution. I think it's a balance.

In talking about utopia, there’s a lot of talk of hope. It reminded me of something Nick Cave said in his book Faith, Hope & Carnage. He said, "Hope is optimism with a broken heart." Do you agree?

I respect that's where he's coming from, and that's very Nick Cave. [Laughs] You can keep it! [Björk mimes pushing something away] I think musically, he's dealing with goth, he's dealing with industrial. Just to talk purely about the sound world, [bands] like Einstürzende Neubauten and The Birthday Party—that was all kind of the remains of Europe torn after World War II. How can we, the goths, stand up and become little gargoyles? That's not my universe. My home is more rave. And if you want to write about the philosophy behind rave, it's very sort of, “Let's take ecstasy and dance for eight hours.” [Laughs] So it's a slightly different philosophy. I'm not saying it's better or worse, but it is kind of like prankster energy. It's humor, and it's sort of tricksy.

So I think I look at hope in another way. I mean, obviously there are a lot of sentences about hope in my lyrics. I'm not going to quote myself here—I'm too shy, or the coffee hasn't kicked in yet—but I did say, “Hope is a muscle, hope is a muscle.” A lot of people have used that phrase—I don't own it. Hope is something you need to be intentional about.

You need to work on it so it grows?

Yeah, I think I'm more coming from that point. And for example, in the lyrics for “Utopia,” I can't remember exactly because I can’t remember words [laughs]... But you have to be intentional about the light.…

[We’re interrupted by the call for the second of the Muslim daily prayers—Dhuhr—which happens shortly after noontime. Björk turns her face to the window with a look of ecstasy.]

Oh, here we go! Yes! I love it. Five times a day. I'm so happy! What was I saying?

Is it hard, in environmental activism, to give people hope?

Musicians are not politicians and we are not industrialists. There’s a lot of things we're not. But one thing we are is we [are people who] work with imagination and we know how that works a little bit, and that sometimes you have to imagine something that doesn't exist, and that can be superhard. And it doesn't only go for fantasy or some song or some books or whatever, it also goes for just trials and difficulties in everyday life, like the environmental issue that we have to deal with somehow. It's almost like an attempt to exercise a muscle. The same way you can catapult yourself with sound to a new world... You are in one mood, you put on a song and you go to another mood. You are intentional about your hope and you pull yourself to a new place. You can also do it with environmental agendas or climate accords.

Björk, 2024. Courtesy of Vidar Logi

Do you think your idea of hope is colored by growing up in Iceland, a country that doesn’t even have an army?

Yeah. And we have a lot of optimism in Iceland: For 600 years we were a colony—we just got independent, like, 70 years ago—so we are just like, “Go, go, go! This is fun. This is our best period we've ever had!” Especially when it comes to culture and identity. In Iceland, we were just like, “You just keep your wars. We don't want any of that.” We were far away on an island. I think also coming from being a colony for 600 years, we didn't want that history and the aesthetics, especially as artists. We wanted 21st century, which was more biotech, nature and technology working together. Listening to techno in the fields, off your headphones, on ecstasy. Do you know what I mean?

Sure.

I'm not saying I do that now! But I think it describes us and where the joy lives and where the pain lives. The pain is there. But the goths from Nick Cave’s generation, that's like an East-West thing, and we're like a North-South thing. It's a different polarity, I think.

Well, speaking of goths, you sing towards the end of the film that love will keep us safe from death. Do you think that’s true?

Yes. I think, again, it's the hope-keeper that's speaking, of course, but it's also trying to teach someone to love. But when you are in love, it's both. It's a contradiction because you're both in the moment. You're in the moment when you're in love, but you see eternity, so death doesn't matter. But when you're not in love, you're not in the moment and you also die, or you fear death.

Björk's Cornucopia concert in Lisbon, 2023.Courtesy of Santiago Felipe

You feel vulnerable.

Yeah. So it is two emotional states. So it's more trying to describe those two emotional states. Obviously, it was also a piss-take on “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” which, of course, for the goths and the nihilists, it's their logo. So I was trying to find a logo for the post-optimists. I call myself post-optimist. Not postapocalyptic but post-optimistic. And so, obviously, in the 21st century we're talking about love and emotional intelligence and compassion. And when you are in that moment, fully loving and fully in the moment, you don't care about dying in 40 years or 100 years or whatever, it just goes away. So it is like a strange contradiction. So that's what that statement in the end of that song is about, that love will save us from death. But it's not literal, like some action movie.

It just feels like it will.

It's an emotional stance, that when you are in love and you are in the moment, death becomes irrelevant, it doesn't matter. And then, of course, if you can also, on your moment of death, be in that emotional state, which we all hope for, then also death doesn't matter anyway. So it's a win-win.

How do you feel about death generally? Do you fear it?

I think I am the sort of person who's always very excited about 50 things. So I'm more worried about, “Will I get it all done?” I want to do this and I want to write that song, and then I want to go and dance in that club, and then I want to taste that food. The good side of that is obviously enthusiasm; the shadow side of that is impatience. I just have to calm down—it's not all going to happen in one whack. You have to just chill. But also, that sort of archetype or character is usually not that worried about death. It's other things that they worry about, like running out of energy to do things.

Also, being a singer, when I meet my friends who are singers and we talk about the voice and how we maintain the voice and what we eat and how we sleep and how we exercise and train, it's a mindset of a singer, which is in some ways not far away from an athlete. But it's different because athletes often just work for 20 years or whatever. Singers can sing until they die. But it's sort of about working with a different instrument every five years, learning, adapting to it.

Björk's Cornucopia concert in Lisbon, 2023.Courtesy of Santiago Felipe

Because your equipment physically changes?

Yeah. Growing with it. So it's like energy management. I see it with my friends who are singers. Since we were 20, I had to be like, “Oh, I probably should not drink five bottles of cognac the night before I do a concert. That's probably a bad idea.” I had to learn that when I was 20. So by the time I was 40 and all my friends were like, “What the fuck? I can't do everything I want anymore?” I'm like, “I learned that 20 years ago.” So having to navigate your body and your limitations and what you can do with it, you have to learn it young. But then it also helps you, because then when you get older, you can still do all these things. So when you say “Are you afraid of death?” I'm not afraid of that moment, because that sounds quite poetic to me. And also, I have a lot of emotional courage. It's more about navigating energy. But so far, I've enjoyed doing it. I like writing on each album songs that I can only sing with the voice I have now.

So each album is like a time capsule not just of your thinking but of your physicality?

Yeah. I'm not trying to sing the songs I sang when I was 19, which would be ridiculous anyway. Also, I'm blessed because I'm a singer-songwriter, so I write my own songs. So I'm hoping that when I have a deeper voice and I'm singing about subject matter that probably someone my age is interested in, that something reflects in that, that I don't even know about myself. Obviously, you just do your best as a musician. And then 50 years later, you listen to it, you go, “Oh, that was okay.” Or, “That was awful.” You just give it a go. So I think it's actually good for the songs you are writing, each five years or however long it takes you to make an album: The soul you have at that point and the emotion you have and the body you have, that it all is the same. I think it gives, hopefully, an added...I don't know what word to use. Humanity, probably.

Björk performs in Paris, 1990. Martyn Goodacre / Getty Images

Is that progression something you notice in the work of other artists?

Yeah. You can see it especially when you read the books back to back. Like now, I'm [revisiting] all of Anaïs Nin’s diaries, which I loved a lot, but I haven't read them for 20 years. They just came out on audiobook, so I just listened to them on the plane. I find it so interesting. In my 30s, obviously, I understood, “Okay, this is a woman who’s inventing female psychology. She's groundbreaking, she's a pioneer. She's working with Otto Rank. She's doing the first psychologist in New York, female, and taking only female patients.” Such a groundbreaking document. But then also you have her books from over 50 years. Just that progression is insane.

There'd be stuff in the books she wrote when she was older that you wouldn’t have even noticed in your 30s—sort of like broadcasting at a frequency only dogs can hear, right?

Exactly. Absolutely. I find that really beautiful. And I'm actually understanding more and more how much she influenced me. Not literally, obviously, in my music, or her words or anything, but just that stamina of, “I'm going to document all my life. I'm going for the long haul.” She's actually very optimistic. She's a bridge-builder. She's a bridge-builder because she loves women, she loves men. She's like, “Why should I choose?” And I don't mean that sexually, I just mean as partners or companions. It's just one big bridge-building to humans, and very soulful and very optimistic and very playful, evading all boxes that she gets put in. She’s slippery in that sense. And then when there's drama, she goes there. I was just listening, and I was like, “Oh, this is so cheerful. I really need this for my holiday.” And then I sat in the airport and there was literally a scene where she loses her child in the hospital. She was writing that in 1935! And so detailed.

People barely speak about that even now.

Exactly. And she's describing every single thing that happened, giving birth and its death and the pain. Such a pioneer. So she's both taking in the dark and the light. I really like her stance on life.

I asked you about death originally, but it sounds like your feeling towards death is much the same as with hope: that it’s an activating idea rather than an end in itself.

Yeah. I have some friends who are goths and nihilists and it's that binary in their lives. I don't have that; I've got another one. But there's another darkness: nature, eruptions, volcanoes, destruction. And when I do techno beats, they're quite destructive. It lives elsewhere.

There's another line I wanted to ask you about. You sing, “He sees me for who I am.” Do you think you're received by the world in the way that you think you truly are? Do you think people get you?

I'm not really bothered by it because…I don't know, I don't want to blame astrology on all of it, but I'm four times Scorpio, whatever. I like hiding. It is weird that I am a celebrity. I'm the wrong person for it. I like hiding; I like layers. It's comforting for me, and the people who get me, they get me. How can I say it? I feel gotten. [Laughs] I've been gotten in my life. And the fact that I'm still doing what I'm doing and people are interested—you flying over here or whatever—I'm like, “Great!” But I put out an album in Iceland when I was 11 that was a bestseller. I didn't like the energy—being an A-list celebrity. That's not me. I'm not the cheerleader in the class, I never have been. And the same with when I became A-list in the ’90s, in London. I would've tolerated it—the paparazzi and whatever—if I could write music from that stance. But I couldn't. It was too narcissistic. I had to go somewhere and hide, and come out two years later with an album. I don't write in the limelight, I write in the dark.

Hayley Campbell is a writer and freelance journalist based in London.

#GQ #Björk #Björk Guðmundsdóttir #Hayley Campbell #Art #Music #GQ Magazine #Vidar Logi #Iceland #Utopia #Cornucopia

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caxycreations · 5 months ago

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batsplat · 7 months ago

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tired: 10 year anniversary of sepang 2015 next year

wired: 20th anniversary of jerez 2005

(we need to get gibernau on like oxley bom podcast or any other podcast which would ask great questions and won’t let him yap too much. come on guys please)

the establishment might forget but the streets (me and 2-4 anons on tumblr) won't

y'know it was kinda annoying when marc skipped the jerez presser this year because usually at least one enterprising soul asks some kind of jerez 2005-related question, just to remind everyone. just to check in whether they'd be interested in doing it again. because the journalists clearly absolutely loved it the first time, very much here for the drama of it all. so we had all those 2016-19 era pressers where marc and valentino were two guys who obviously hated each other but also had this fun legacy link. which gave all the other blokes in the room (riders and journalists alike) to just do a little round of 'yeah those two nutters', which marc and valentino are sometimes more sometimes less responsive to depending on the current vibes of the relationship. I miss it!! and I actually really like jerez 2005 for agenda purposes because it's like. the super flashy bit of the feud everyone remembers. so you have a big talking point that ensures nobody can ever QUITE forget sete's name... but also it misses out all the real juicy stuff and allows valentino to erase sete's story forever and ever, which we've established by now I'm basically supportive of

anyway I was thinking of the four year anniversary of jerez 2005, the first time since 2006 sete was actually in the paddock

and valentino gave an interview where he does talk about the race a little bit, which is also fun in the context of the brewing jorge rivalry

Q. For some people this is the 'real' start of the season, this is such a big grand prix for you isn't it. Valentino Rossi: I agree because Jerez is always fantastic. The track I like a lot but the atmosphere around the circuit is completely different compared to Qatar and Motegi. We hope also the weather will be different because we fight a lot against the water in the first two races! This time the forecast is okay, so it is possible to make a normal weekend, because the first two races of the season were very strange. Qatar, and also Motegi, it was difficult to work with the bike together with the new rules with less time on the track. So the test here was okay, I won a lot of times on this track and had big battles with Sete (Gibernau) and others. I think it is possible to do a bit better than the first two races, but anyway 40 points is so important, we are close to the top and we are happy with our performance.

it's really only the one battle he has with sete at the track!! not one of the tracks where they have several goes at it. but well. it was a memorable fight so we'll allow it

Q. You haven't won a race, but you are right in there as we come into Europe. That's very important isn't it? VR: Yes. Taking 40 points in the first two races is crucial for the championship, because of the strange situation. We have tried to make the best of it. I preferred the Motegi race compared to Qatar because I was just 1.3s behind the victory and it was a better fight and better to enjoy. In Qatar I was all alone in the race, in the night, so it was quite scary! For sure Jorge and Dani will have extra motivation in front of all their fans, but we try to fight.

"in qatar I was all alone in the race, in the night, so it was quite scary" shksdfh. he's not wrong though:

dire era. anyhow - if anything valentino gets exactly as much extra motivation from going to spain as the actual spaniards do, check out how he behaves every time he's fighting spaniards on their home soil

Q. You said in Japan, probably four people can win the championship this year. That's good isn't it? VR: Yes. I am in a good shape, Yamaha is so competitive and we work well with the team. I assumed already that Jorge, with more experience on the Bridgestone tyres, would come back and fight for victories. Stoner is always impressive and strong and Dani (Pedrosa) demonstrated in Japan that if his knee is fit then it is possible to battle every Sunday for the championship. So I think it will be very interesting going to the end. Q. We hear you are coming to the TT in the Isle of Man this year, what do you make of that? VR: Dainese organised it for me. For the motorcycle fan it is great to go to the TT one time to understand it. It is like something unreal when you see it on the television so I am very curious to understand it live, and what it means to be there.

"stoner is always impressive and strong" speak on it

Q. If you find yourself going into the last corner fighting for the lead with your team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, like you did racing against Sete in 2005, would you make the same manouvre? VR: With Sete, that race was unforgettable from the first lap we start to fight, but especially the last lap and a half it all happened. I was able to overtake on the last time and I took a small advantage but I made a small mistake on the back straight. Sete came back on me and we nearly touched at the hairpin before two or three overtakes to the last hairpin so it was not just one braking (manouvre). It was a very hard fight. If with Lorenzo it happens the same, then..... Yes. I want to say that time with Sete, I didn't enter in the corner to touch him. I entered to try and overtake and win the race, but unfortunately Sete doesn't crash and anyway he finished second. But anyway we are ready for a battle and we wait for the battle and if it's possible for a race with a rival at the same level like that time with Sete with three or four overtaking in the last lap. It was great. In the last lap - it was great. I think it was our sport. If you look at the races of ten years ago it happened 100 times in one race. I like to run like this. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

now I have to suspect somebody made a mistake here and valentino didn't ACTUALLY say "unfortunately sete doesn't crash" or he was joking or something. surely that was supposed to say "fortunately". I mean it'd be very funny if he said unfortunately

having watched this race a fair few times, I won't argue with vale that it was very much hard racing from the word go - and sete in particular is proper feisty on the first lap. obviously, that's still a teensy bit different from barrelling into someone at the final corner, but oh well. also, saying he didn't want to make contact... I mean, if you're making that move it was always going to happen. glad valentino's still enthusiastic about it!! he had a lot of fun!! and I'm sure by 2009 he was starting to miss that kind of fight lol

and yeah, the line "if with lorenzo it happens the same, then.... yes" is fantastic. he's very consistent on this - if yamaha wants to hire two teammates who can fight for the championship, then this is what they'll get out of it :) of course it makes it nicely pleasing that... well, the first visit to spain that year yielded valentino's first victory of the season, but jorge was a bit of a non-factor. (though valentino did execute a lovely final corner block pass on casey, important for the legacy.) but then the SECOND time they went to spain that year, you get the final corner catalunya shenanigans!! it means you have a bunch of 2009 quotes that already sound kinda vaguely foreshadow-y, including sete's fun little quote:

good luck jorge :) there's also plenty that gets said before and after the 2009 races that later became pretty funny in the context of jerez 2013. so there's just something cute about what a legacy that this one act of final corner terrorism has had on the entire sport, in a way that goes beyond the sete feud... let's not forget that a completely ubiquitous aspect of today's riding - dangling a leg when you're taking the corner - is generally believed to have originated at this race. let's not forget that during the infamous 2015 season, the sete rivalry was explicitly referenced at jerez that season to probe valentino's rivalry with marc. it's a move that still gets referenced every single year they return to jerez for a reason! it did so fifteen years ago, it will once again be so next year. long may it continue

#oh god there's gonna be some atrocious sepang discourse next year isn't there #I mean. when is there not #//#brr brr #batsplat responds #legacy of this one race kinda crazy like u can trace so much back to this one #good on her #also i AGREE on the podcast point i do have another podcast-related ask in my inbox but like... get someone competent #you have few enough sete sources out there that there's still some pretty basic ground i feel like needs to be covered #i just need some basic things checked off sigh #//curst

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aeoki · 2 years ago

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SHINSEKAI - Empire of Fantasy: Chapter 10

Location: Tohoku Town (SHINSEKAI) Characters: Mika, Shuu & Tsumugi

TL Note:

Deadwood (窓際族) - This specifically refers to people who were deemed useless in their job and would be given a seat by the window with no real work to do. This concept does not exist in my country (you’d most likely just be fired), so I don’t know if there is a proper English term for it.

Tale of Heike - This is an epic account of the struggle between the Taira and the Minamoto Clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12 century in the Genpei War.

< The next day. VR space “SHINSEKAI”, main street. >

Tsumugi: “Ahahahahaha ☆”

Shuu: ��………

Tsumugi: “You’re kidding, right? It didn’t end up being ‘fine’, right?”

“‘That’s because we’ve invincible artists’? Ahahaha, that’s no good at all!”

“You would be forfeiting all of ‘Valkyrie’s’ achievements that you’ve earned thus far in ‘SHINSEKAI’. You understand that, right? That sounds like what a wimp would say and it just weirds me out!”

Shuu: …………

Tsumugi: “It seems you’ve successfully completed a few missions and events here and there, but you’ve lost every PVP battle!”

“You already have many battles where you’ve lost by default by abandoning the battle as well…”

“Are you two okay? Do you have the motivation to do this?”

“At this rate, you’ll be targetted by the other idols as a ‘delicious opponent’ until you have nothing left, you know?”

“Ohh, is that what you’re actually aiming for? You’ll act like you’re easy game and then turn the tables on them when they have their guard down?”

“But of course not, right? You always take your battles head-on, don’t you, Shuu-kun~?”

“You’re taking it seriously but you’re not doing great, are you~!? Poor Shuu-kun! Ahahahaha ☆”

Shuu: Aoba.

Tsumugi: “Yes?”

Shuu: It was mentioned that the laws of the real world are not reflected within this “SHINSEKAI”, correct? So, if I were to kill you right now–

Mika: Nghahh, calm down, Oshi– Onii-chan!

Tsumugi: “That is correct~ I’m not the real Tsumugi Aoba, anyway.”

“I’ll be at a loss if you took your anger out on me. Besides, support characters like us don’t have the abilities to fight.”

Shuu: Who can trust those words of yours? You intend to hurt me by dressing up as an innocent third party, don’t you? You’ve always been that sort of person!

Tsumugi: “Ahaha. You sure hate Tsumugi Aoba-kun ♪”

“But I ended up agitating you because it started getting fun for me too. Please don’t do something unfitting of an idol and kill or curse another human.”

“You’ll be deducted points. In other words, ‘SSG’ will be confiscated as a penalty.”

“If you’re irritated, there are plenty of monsters walking about over there, so please hit the ‘characters that are meant to be hit’; the ones who don’t have personalities.”

“That way, you won’t have to hurt a single real, living human being.”

Shuu: Hmph. What fun is there, playing with an inanimate object with no soul?

Mika: I think we’ll be doomed if we say that, Onii-chan~ And it might be possible for dolls to gain a soul if they’ve been given a lot of love, though.

Tsumugi: “Fufu. Anyway, please treat it as though everything that happens in this ‘SHINSEKAI’ will be broadcast in the show.”

“In truth, scenes will be broadcast after careful selection, though. You two are a hot stock so it’s possible every one of your scenes could be broadcast across the country..”

“Please keep that in mind and act like an idol at all times.”

Shuu: Act like an idol, you say…? I do not enjoy indulging in the flattery of the public.

Tsumugi: “But if you do, you’ll have a rather good reputation in this ‘SHINSEKAI’ and that means you would have succeeded, you know?”

“Sometimes, when you’re given a few options during missions, if you choose the most idol-like option, they’ll end up being the ‘correct’ answer most of the time.”

Shuu: Hmph. So what of it? We’ll walk down the path we chose of our own accord. I won’t give in to peer pressure.

Tsumugi: “Hmm~ I’d like you two to stop being so stubborn and be obedient kids, though.”

“At this rate, you’ll simply lose all your money and you’ll fall into ruin. You’ve also finally obtained a ticket to take part in the ‘SS’ finals, so you’ll end up losing that as well.”

“Now that ‘SSL$’ are automatically converted into ‘SSG’, everything you did during the ‘Championship Match’ would have mostly been for nought.”

“It simply means the money you had in the first place would appear to be a lot more than what you currently own in comparison.”

“And if you continue to lose your money, it would be especially difficult for ‘Valkyrie’ to win the “SS” Qualifying Round.”

Shuu: I will repeat myself, but what of it? It’s not a loss for us if we’re unable to participate in the “SS” finals.

We won the “Championship Match” and we were able to prove our worth there.

And with no boisterous merrymaking from our side in this ridiculous unreality.

Tsumugi: “Ahaha. You may think that things are going swell for you two, but ES and the public only see you as ‘idols who only know how to perform’.”

“And currently, jobs other than performances are rapidly increasing. Under normal circumstances, idols are all about performing, though.”

“In such an era, how much do you think ‘idols who only know how to perform’ are wanted?”

“You two will gradually be washed away from the mainstream and you’ll lose your position at ES. And ES is a utopia created for idols by the hands of idols.”

“You two don’t have what it takes to be an ES idol and you’re just an artist…”

“It would simply be impossible for you two to do the same or even more than that in this current era.”

“You would be declined any funding, lose opportunities and be slowly deprived of your job. That’s where human resources who are difficult to handle and go against the higher-ups in this adult society end up.”

“I believe those sorts of people were called deadwood[1] in the past.”

Shuu: Hmph. Not an idol nor a person is what you want to say, isn’t it? You should reread The Tale of Heike[2].

Tsumugi: “You should, as well. You should be well aware of what fate lies before an arrogant ‘sovereign’ who stopped reflecting on himself. Isn’t that right, ‘Valkyrie’?”

Shuu: …………

← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂ Next Chapter →

#shinsekai

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janacantdraw · 1 year ago

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But what also makes you a furry? Interactions with community. In the end of 00s when I became a furry I had this: I had friends, I visited meetings and cons, I had a lot of fun. But since 10s were started all of this was ended: some of my friends quit drawing, others were just disappeared, it's become pointless to go on meeting or cons alone, because you don't know anyone there: people would pay attention to you only if you had fursuit, but I always was too poor to order it from someone and without it... You're just a stranger, like a passerby on the street. I tried to make new friends on the Internet, but nobody interested in communication with an artist who had 200-300 watchers on DA and FA, cuz I was noname for them. Finally in 2019 more people started to pay attnetion to my art, but actually almost nothing was changed. My health condition became much worse than in past and sometimes it's too hard for me to go even on the street, so I can forget about any IRL interactions forever. Same on the Internet: I know few people and we talking sometimes, but nobody invite me on Discord servers and I can't join them myself because, most likely, I don't know anyone there and nobody know me too. I also can't use voice or VR chats too, I don't have such opportunity. In March I'll turn 17 years as furry artist, but my interaction with community is still 0%. I'm alone last 13 years. So what's make me a furry now? Only the fact that I drawing pictures? That's bullshit.

The fact that I see artists who consistently draw anthro characters (with furry design sensibilities) saying stuff like “oh but I’m not a FURRY I just draw anthros” is really annoying to me. Like you don’t gotta associate with the label or call yourself a furry but the like embarrassed “oooh I’m not one of THOSE guys” behavior is really childish. Like who cares if you’re a furry or not. You don’t have to keep doing the “I’m not a furry BUT-“ garbage. Free yourself from cringe. Draw animal people without having to give a disclaimer that you’re not “weird” every time.

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abhiruchimall · 12 days ago

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Abhiruchi Mall’s Best Kept Secrets: Hidden Gems You Need to Explore

Abhiruchi Mall in Pune is well-known for its vibrant shopping experience, diverse dining options, and entertainment hubs. However, beyond the popular attractions, there are several hidden gems waiting to be discovered. From cozy cafes and unique boutiques to exclusive entertainment zones, Abhiruchi Mall has something special for every visitor. Let’s take a look at some of the mall's best-kept secrets that make it a must-visit destination.

1. Cozy Cafes for a Relaxing Break

While the mall boasts well-known food chains, some lesser-known cafes offer a unique experience. Hidden Bean Café, tucked in a quiet corner, serves artisanal coffee and delicious pastries. If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from the bustling shopping areas, this is the place to be. Click here to explore all dining options.

2. Exclusive Boutiques for Unique Fashion Finds

Abhiruchi Mall is home to several local designer boutiques that often go unnoticed by visitors. Stores like Ethnic Essence and Urban Trends offer handcrafted apparel and accessories that you won’t find in mainstream retail outlets. These stores are perfect for fashion enthusiasts looking for one-of-a-kind pieces. Check out Abhiruchi Mall for more shopping destinations.

3. Underground Gaming Zone

For gaming enthusiasts, the Game Haven Arcade is a hidden treasure. Located on the lower level of the mall, this entertainment spot features VR gaming, classic arcade games, and multiplayer challenges. Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore gamer, this place offers hours of fun. Visit here to find more entertainment options.

4. Secret Reading Nook for Book Lovers

If you love reading, you’ll be delighted to find a small but charming bookstore, Pages & Chapters, nestled in a quiet section of the mall. This independent bookstore offers a curated collection of novels, self-help books, and bestsellers. A perfect place to unwind with a good book! Check this for more about Abhiruchi Mall’s hidden treasures.

5. Specialty Food Corners for Foodies

While major food brands attract most of the attention, several specialty food counters serve gourmet delights. Sweet Bites is a hidden gem offering homemade chocolates and exotic sweets. Spice Street is another must-visit for those who love authentic street food flavors in a hygienic setting. Discover more culinary experiences here.

6. Art and Craft Stores for Creative Minds

Are you a craft enthusiast? Creative Hands is an art supply store that stocks rare and high-quality materials for artists, designers, and DIY hobbyists. Whether you need sketchbooks, paints, or crafting tools, this store is a goldmine. Explore more shopping delights at Abhiruchi Mall.

7. Wellness & Spa Retreats for Relaxation

After a long day of shopping, Zen Spa & Wellness is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate. This hidden oasis offers therapeutic massages, facials, and wellness treatments that help you unwind from the daily hustle. Find more self-care options here.

8. Limited-Edition Pop-Up Stores

Abhiruchi Mall frequently hosts pop-up stores featuring exclusive brands, limited-time collections, and artisan products. These stores are the perfect place to find rare collectibles, handmade crafts, and seasonal items. Stay updated on upcoming events at Abhiruchi Mall.

9. Interactive Kids' Play Zone

Families visiting with children will love the Mini Explorers Kids’ Zone. Unlike traditional play areas, this space offers interactive learning activities, storytelling sessions, and creative workshops. If you're looking for fun-filled activities for kids, check out Abhiruchi Mall.

10. Exclusive Movie Screening Experience

While Abhiruchi Mall’s multiplex is widely popular, a lesser-known fact is that it occasionally hosts exclusive movie screenings featuring indie films and international cinema. For a unique cinematic experience, keep an eye on the latest screenings at Abhiruchi Mall.

Conclusion

Abhiruchi Mall is more than just a shopping destination; it's a treasure trove of hidden gems waiting to be explored. From secret cafes and unique boutiques to entertainment hotspots and wellness retreats, there’s always something new to discover. Next time you visit, be sure to explore these lesser-known spots for a truly enriching experience. For more details on stores, dining, and events, visit Abhiruchi Mall.

Plan your visit today and uncover the best-kept secrets of Abhiruchi Mall!

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workersbushtelegraph · 9 days ago

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What's on

Vintage Reds Prior to their AGM, the regular monthly meeting of Vintage Red will occur. Vintage Reds (Retired Unionists Network) to be held on Thursday, 6th March 2025, at the QCU at 10 am.16 Peel Street, Sth Brisbane VR guest speaker is Jacqueline King – General Secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions. Jacqueline King will speak about the policies the QCU will pursue and of the…

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vividracing · 1 month ago

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New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/what-wheels-fit-a-nissan-370z/

What Wheels fit a Nissan 370Z?

Getting the perfect wheel fitment for the Nissan 370Z takes some work, but we’ve done the research to make it easier for you. After finding a wide range of different setups, we’ve narrowed down the best options that balance performance, functionality, and style. Whether you’re setting up for the track or just want a clean street look, these fitments will get your 370Z looking and performing perfect.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vivid Racing (@vividracing)

Our Recommendation: Front– 19×9.5 +22mm | 5×114.3 Rear– 19×10.5 +22mm | 5×114.3

Spicy Fitment Recommendation: Front– 19×10 +19mm | 5×114.3 Rear– 19×11.5 +18mm | 5×114.3

For anyone wanting to run a different set up than flush or stock fitment, like tucked, poked, or stanced, here are some of the minimum and maximum ranges we found before needing to do any other major suspension or fender modifications.

OUR TOP WHEEL CHOICES

SHOP VR FORGED

SHOP VOLK RACING

SHOP MAZZI

Call us at (480) 757-9492 or email [email protected] for help on your fitment needs!

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stevin-josy · 2 months ago

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BLOG 10- DIGITAL MEDIA : SOURCE AND SIGNIFICANCE

The Artistic Value of Virtual Reality: Walking Dead Saints & Sinners

VR has transformed storytelling and gaming as we know it. It allows players to experience the sensation of being within the game. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is a great example of how VR can combine immersion and interaction to create a fun, layered experience.

Immersion in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Immersion is defined as “the sensation of being there, that you are actually inside the game’s universe” (Ryan, 2001). In The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, a zombie-infested New Orleans is at player’s disposal. The world appears and sounds real. You can hear the screeching of zombies or the quiet of empty streets. It makes you feel like you’re there, really.

Feeling the Stakes

https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/tech-blog/skydance-interactive-shows-how-it-injected-vr-physicality-and-melee-combat-in-the-walking-dead-saints-sinners

In this game, what you do matters. When a zombie grabs you, it is not just on the screen you respond to it physically. This makes every fight and choice feel primal and genuine. In VR survival is personal in a way that other games cannot offer he says because you become a part of the world. Interaction: Making Choices That Matter

Full Gameplay Walkthrough (YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yDlew4zzjo)

The interaction in this game isn't just about fighting zombies. Players also face hard choices. For instance, you may need to decide between aiding a person in need of help or saving resources for yourself. These choices affect how the story unfolds and how you’re realized by other characters.

Crafting and Strategy

Players also can create their own tools and weapons in the game. You search for items that can create stuff like health kits or weapons. Every decision count as resources is insufficient. This encourages players to consider their choices.

Balancing Immersion and Interaction

The balancing act between immersion and interaction is handled very well in the game. This explanation is provided by Marie Laure Ryan (2001) when she states: "interaction makes players feel they have control whereas immersion makes them feel as though they belong to the world". In Saints & Sinners, you simultaneously make choices and experience the world’s emotions.

Example of Emotional Impact

One emotional moment in the game is when you encounter a survivor who is mourning. As Ryan (2001) writes "immersive VR settings can create strong emotions and connections” and this scene explores how VR makes all these interactions feel real. Why Saints & Sinners Demonstrates the Artistic Value of VR.

Realism and the Atmosphere: The detailed world makes you feel like players are really in a zombie apocalypse.

Personal Choices: Your decisions in the game matter and can change the story.

Stirring: The game evokes fear, empathy and excitement that linger with players.

Conclusion

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners demonstrates how VR can blend interactivity and immersion to create an experience like no other. The game’s gut world and emotional stakes remind us that VR is not just about fun it can be a vehicle for art. Games like this are a glimpse of how storytelling and gaming will forever change thanks to the incredibly immersive medium of VR as it grows.

References:

Ryan, Marie Laure. Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media. The Johns Hopkins University Press.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Skydance Interactive.

Screenshot taken from gameplay video: The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Full Gameplay Walkthrough (YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yDlew4zzjo).

#virtual reality #blog #art

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yuvraajsinghchauhan2000 · 2 months ago

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Blog 10

Pushing Limits - AR, VR and MR technologies : Analyzing the AR themed Time Cops City Hunt game by Escape Hunt and the potential of Extended Reality (XR).

Escape Hunt is a famous immersive gaming experience company that first started in Bangkok, Thailand in 2013 and were inspired by online computer games such as Myst and Crimson Room. Escape Hunt Studios have created an immersive gaming experience where Escape Hunters are transported to a different era to solve mind-twisting mysteries. They are global leaders in the world of escape rooms. Today they have branches everywhere from Brisbane to Birmingham and Marseille to Miami, having escape rooms in almost every continent. Accoding to them, Escape Hunt is,

"The name given to an adventure packed with excitement where you and your teammates leap into new worlds, taking on pulse-racing missions and challenges in an incredible entertainment experience against the clock".

Fig 1 : Escape Hunt.

In this blog post I will be analyzing a AR outdoor game produced by Escape Hunt that is titled Time Cops City Hunt that is played in the city of Watford, London where the players have a total of 90 minutes to prevent Artificial Intelligence from being released and save humanity. The game is packed with missions that the players need to complete under the time frame in order to complete the game.

Fig 2 : Time cops

The City Hunt adventure game Time Cops is suitable for players of all ages. After the safety briefing the players are assigned their task and the clock begins. The players are set up with an iPad and action pack and then the game takes them on a approximately 2 km walk in the city. After 90 minutes players are to head back to HQ to drop off the action pack and thereby successfully completing the game. With a briefcase full of gadgets and a device that communicates with the future, the players or the Time Cops are humanity’s last line of defence. In the gameplay, the Time Cops receive a message from the future that warns them of an evil computer system named H.E.L.A., an artificial intelligence on mission to destroy humanity. H.E.L.A. is gathering power through a nest of servers, hidden beneath the streets of Watford. With time running out, the Time Cops are supposed to shut down the H.E.L.A servers to protect humanity.

youtube

Vid 1 : Time Cops City Hunt - Escape Hunt.

Much like treasure hunt this game demands the engagement of the players but it adds several interesting features by the help of technology. A game of treasure hunt is played completely in the framework of reality where you have to find the treasure using clues and hints and that is where this game separates itself from Real life and emerges into Augmented Reality (AR) as it overlays digital information onto the real world giving more engagement features and options for the players. AR themed games are likely to produce a positive and more enthusiastic user engagement when compared to Real games due to the simple fact that the use of technology in AR games enables a room for vast creative features for the game that can enhance the user experience. As stated in an article by Samuli Laato, Sampsa Rauti, A.K.M. Najmul Islam and Erkki Sutinen, "The human ability to imagine is boosted by nostalgic experiences and a predisposition towards the AR content. Nostalgia and imagination while playing increased affection towards the in-game fictional content. This affection and the measured social factors all significantly predicted the meaningfulness of playing" (Laato, Rauti, Najmul Islam, Sutinen, 2021).

The team of Escape Hunt has done a great job in providing a gaming experience where one can enjoy the thrill of an adventure game, the mystery experience of a crime based game and so much more. Solving a game while playing in your own city and not inside the game elevates the experience for the players. One great fact about such games is that through technology, these games are not limited to a defined set of levels but there is room for more addition. There is so much more you can add digitally rather than to build it in real space for the players to experience. While Virtual Reality (VR) is much more of an immersive experience and offers total control over the users reality, it somehow lacks the joy that AR offers and that is solely because AR includes the experience of real world. Even though virtual reality can be based on real world, it still holds its functionality in a digital space which can be limited to a small room or a small place while AR and mixed reality (MR) offers the combination of the digital and the real space. I think that extended reality (XR) which is a combination of VR, AR and MR is going to shape the future in almost all fields that require human experience, from window shopping to trying new clothes, looking for new properties, playing games, watching sports etc. Bernard Marr, a world-renowned futurist, board advisor and author of Generative AI in Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Generative Artificial Intelligence is Changing Business and Society states that, "Imagine what it might be like to live and work in our world in 2030 and beyond. Perhaps, thanks to advancements in extended reality (XR), you might be able to shop for a new home anywhere in the world as if you were actually on-site or head to lunch in some faraway land. By 2022, the XR market is expected to reach $209 billion, which is eight times what it is today. This tremendous growth could mean the realities of our 2030 lives are beyond our imagination’s ability to grasp" (Marr, 2019). Although I still think there are challenges as of now for XR to takeover with the limited technology but in the possible future, things might change in the favour of extended reality.

References

Fig 1 : Escape Hunt, (online) Available at : https://www.festivalplace.co.uk/directories/escape-hunt?location=location-182640

Fig 2 : Time cops, EscapeHunt, (online) Available at :https://escapehunt.com/uk/watford/games/time-cops-city-hunt/?_gl=115yrmgn_upMQ.._gaMTEyMDQ1MTcxOS4xNzM1NDk0NDk3_ga_G2QGPC4XS9*MTczNTQ5NDQ5Ny4xLjEuMTczNTQ5NTE3NS4wLjAuMTU1MzcyOTIyOA..

Vid 1 : Time Cops City Hunt, Escape Hunt, Youtube.com, Available at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMM0KTdv7Uc

Laato,S. Rauti,A. Najmul Islam,A. Sutinen,E. (2021) Why playing augmented reality games feels meaningful to players? The roles of imagination and social experience, Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 121, Available at : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563221001394#cebib0010

Marr, B. (2019) What Is Extended Reality Technology? A Simple Explanation For Anyone, Available at : https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2019/08/12/what-is-extended-reality-technology-a-simple-explanation-for-anyone/

#Youtube

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damiencordle · 3 months ago

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Joshua Damien Cordle. I Found This Interesting!

New virtual reality-tested system shows promise in aiding navigation of people with blindness or low vision

A new study offers hope for people who are blind or have low vision (pBLV) through an innovative navigation system that was tested using virtual reality. The system, which combines vibrational and sound feedback, aims to help users navigate complex real-world environments more safely and effectively.

The research from NYU Tandon School of Engineering, published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology, advances work from John-Ross Rizzo, Maurizio Porfiri and colleagues toward developing a first-of-its-kind wearable system to help pBLV navigate their surroundings independently.

"Traditional mobility aids have key limitations that we want to overcome," said Fabiana Sofia Ricci, the paper's lead author and a Ph.D. candidate in NYU Tandon Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and NYU Tandon's Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP). "White canes only detect objects through contact and miss obstacles outside their range, while guide dogs require extensive training and are costly. As a result, only 2 to 8 percent of visually impaired Americans use either aid."

In this study, the research team miniaturized the earlier haptic feedback of its backpack-based system into a discreet belt equipped with 10 precision vibration motors. The belt's electronic components, including a custom circuit board and microcontroller, fit into a simple waist bag, a crucial step toward making the technology practical for real-world use.

The system provides two types of sensory feedback: vibrations through the belt indicate obstacle location and proximity, while audio beeps through a headset become more frequent as users approach obstacles in their path.

"We want to reach a point where the technology we're building is light, largely unseen and has all the necessary performance required for efficient and safe navigation," said Rizzo, who is an associate professor in NYU Tandon's BME department, associate director of NYU WIRELESS, affiliated faculty at CUSP and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

"The goal is something you can wear with any type of clothing, so people are not bothered in any way by the technology."

The researchers tested the technology by recruiting 72 participants with normal vision, who wore Meta Quest 2 VR headsets and haptic feedback belts while walking around NYU's Media Commons at 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, an empty room with only side curtains.

Through their headsets, the participants experienced a virtual subway station as someone with advanced glaucoma would see it -- with reduced peripheral vision, blurred details, and altered color perception. The environment, created with Unity gaming software to match the room's exact dimensions, allowed the team to determine how well participants could navigate using the belt's vibrations and audio feedback when their vision was impaired.

"We worked with mobility specialists and NYU Langone ophthalmologists to design the VR simulation to accurately recreate advanced glaucoma symptoms," says Porfiri, the paper's senior author, CUSP Director and an Institute Professor in NYU Tandon's Departments of BME and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. "Within this environment, we included common transit challenges that visually impaired people face daily -- broken elevators, construction zones, pedestrian traffic, and unexpected obstacles."

Results showed that haptic feedback significantly reduced collisions with obstacles, while audio cues helped users move more smoothly through space. Future studies will involve individuals with actual vision loss.

The technology complements the functionality of Commute Booster, a mobile app being developed by a Rizzo-led team to provide pBLV navigation guidance inside subway stations. Commute Booster "reads" station signage and tells users where to go, while the haptic belt could help those users avoid obstacles along the way.

In December 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Rizzo, Porfiri, and a team of NYU colleagues a $5 million grant via its Convergence Accelerator, a program whose mission includes supporting the development of assistive and rehabilitative technologies. That grant, along with others from NSF, funded this research and also supports Commute Booster's development. In addition to Ricci, Rizzo and Porfiri, Lorenzo Liguori and Eduardo Palermo are the paper's authors, both from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Story Source:

Materials provided by NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Related Multimedia:

The device

Journal Reference:

Fabiana Sofia Ricci, Lorenzo Liguori, Eduardo Palermo, John-Ross Rizzo, Maurizio Porfiri. Navigation Training for Persons With Visual Disability Through Multisensory Assistive Technology: Mixed Methods Experimental Study. JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, 2024; 11: e55776 DOI: 10.2196/55776

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