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Emendavimus VR

Emendavimus is a Virtual Reality narrative simulation developed as part of the IAT 499 Graduation Project at Simon Fraser University, under the supervision of Dr. Bernhard Riecke, VR researcher and professor at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts & Technology (SIAT).

The project explores ethical dilemmas arising in a speculative future where humanity faces inevitable integration with cybernetic systems. Through embodied interaction and narrative agency, the experience invites participants to question what it means to be human in a world where machine intelligence and technological augmentation surpass organic limitations.

VR was selected as the primary medium to enable first-person embodiment and experiential decision-making, allowing users to engage with moral questions in ways that traditional screen-based media cannot support.

The project began with a formal proposal articulating the necessity of VR as a medium for ethical inquiry. Research focused on:

  • Presence, embodiment, and immersion in VR

  • Narrative-driven ethical decision-making

  • Speculative futures and post-human discourse

  • The proposal positioned VR not as a novelty, but as a research-informed storytelling tool capable of provoking deeper reflection through spatial presence and embodied perspective.

Concept & Research

Ideating the World

To establish a coherent narrative environment, a comprehensive moodboard was developed, drawing from speculative science fiction, cybernetic aesthetics, and minimalist futurism.

These visual references informed:

  • Environmental tone and atmosphere

  • Spatial composition and lighting

  • Early asset direction for prototyping

The moodboard served as a foundational design artifact, bridging conceptual narrative themes with tangible world-building decisions.

Minimum Viable Prototype

A video-based minimum viable prototype (MVP) was created to simulate the narrative flow and key decision points of the experience. This approach allowed the team to:

  • Test narrative clarity and pacing

  • Evaluate emotional resonance with audiences

  • Identify moments of confusion or disengagement

  • Iterate efficiently before full VR implementation

Audience feedback directly informed refinements to the story arc, ethical framing, and user agency.

Planning the VR Experience

Beyond the in-headset experience, the project was designed holistically through:

  • Pre-VR onboarding to contextualize the narrative and prime ethical reflection

  • In-VR interaction emphasizing agency, embodiment, and spatial storytelling

  • Post-VR reflection to extend the experience beyond the simulation and reinforce meaning

This approach blurred the boundary between physical and virtual space, reinforcing the project’s core theme of merging human and technological realities.

Unity Development & Design

The final simulation was developed in Unity, where assets, interactions, and narrative logic were integrated into a cohesive VR experience.

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A reverse narrative design strategy was employed:

  • The climactic decision scene—the moment of greatest agency—was designed first

  • Earlier scenes were structured to build emotional and ethical tension toward this moment


At the narrative peak, users must decide whether to save a dying rebel child by preserving their humanity or converting them into a technological being. Each choice presents ethical trade-offs rather than a clear “correct” answer. The final reveal—that the child represents the user themselves—reframes the decision and reinforces the inevitability of technological transformation.

Outcome & Reflection

Emendavimus demonstrates how VR can function as a medium for ethical inquiry, speculative futures exploration, and experiential storytelling. Participants consistently reported heightened emotional engagement and self-reflection, particularly at the climactic decision point where agency and consequence converge.
 

Through this project, I developed advanced skills in:

  • VR interaction design and Unity development

  • Narrative systems and ethical scenario design

  • Research-informed speculative design

  • Translating abstract concepts into embodied experiences
     

Supervision under Dr. Bernhard Riecke ensured the project was grounded in academic research on VR presence and cognition, reinforcing its relevance as both a design artifact and a research-driven exploration.

Problem & Design Intent

Contemporary society has undergone rapid technological acceleration, intensified by global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which normalized online education, AI-mediated communication, and digital dependence. This shift raises critical questions about human identity, agency, and morality in increasingly technocratic systems.

The design challenge was to create an immersive experience that:

  • Encourages ethical self-reflection rather than passive consumption

  • Uses VR embodiment to strengthen emotional and cognitive engagement

  • Balances narrative structure with meaningful user agency

  • Grounds speculative storytelling in real-world technological trajectories

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