MyWorld Senior Research Associate, Mitch Turnbull, has been invited to present findings from a feasibility study exploring how different computational approaches to translating bioacoustic sound into animated 3D forms affect audience engagement, interpretation and emotional response in immersive experiences at UnitedXR Europe, a major European XR industry and academic conference taking place in Brussels from 7–9 December 2026.
Mitch’s research at MyWorld focuses on the ‘superpowers’ of immersive technologies to enhance engagement with the natural world. The study, also supported by a seedcorn grant from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Creative Technologies, leveraged Bramble Media’s EarthSongs augmented reality IP to create two abstract, animated 3D interpretations of the song of a male Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), a rare visitor to the UK.
Using A/B testing and a mixed-methods methodology, 24 participants experienced the two interpretations using a Meta Quest 2 headset in mixed-reality mode. One model was developed through an AI-led workflow using the Unity game engine, while the other used a human-led, procedural rule-based approach in Unreal Engine. The same Bluethroat recording was used for both experiences, enabling the study to investigate how the different visualisation approaches influenced participants’ engagement, interpretation and emotional response.
The findings will be presented at UnitedXR Europe on 7 December 2026.