Tao is a virtual reality game focusing on multi-modal embodied learning. Tao aims to enrich learning by offering a joyful educational tool that invites users into a magical world centred around traditional Chinese culture. Through playful use of movement, it allows deeper engagement with elements of classical Chinese culture than can be achieved from learning via a single modality such as viewing text, pictures, sound, or videos.

 

Tao takes three of the ‘the twenty-eight xiù’ (twenty-eight Chinese lunar mansions, phases of the moon) and uses their symbolism – making wine, trimming up a garden, and making a sword – to construct an environment where players perform movement actions to learn about a respective mansions’ meaning.

Based on the philosophy and characteristics of Chinese encultured body movements, Tao uses Taichi movements to establish relationships between human and objects according to the direction and state of Qi inside the movements.

One characteristic of Chinese encultured body — Drawing circles
(Horizontal circle, vertical circles and eight-shaped circles)

 

To guide users through the experience and create an immersive and engaging world, Tao further utilises strategies such as visual occlusion and interactive objects which change in response to users’ actions.

 

Process video

 

Images

 

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