Dolittle uses anthropomorphisation in order to help encourage environmentally
conscious day-to-day behaviours.
ACTIVITIES
Interactive audio experiences and evaluation of their impact on our
behaviour and, more broadly, the environment as a whole.
START OF THE PROJECT
02.10.2017
ORGANISATION
Digital Creativity Labs, University of York
COSTS
£50,000 to develop, and a rolling cost of £5,000 p/a to support (two post-
doctoral research fellows (not full time), development costs, facilities, meetings,
partner contributions in kind, event funding, etc.). Biggest cost is people's time.
IMPACT
In 2018: 5,000 people were reached (each session generally reached 250
children per half day) with a much larger anticipated turn around in 2019 (upwards
30,000 once the main installation is completed). In 2018 they have presented at 4
national/international public facing events: the British Science Festival at Hull, the
York Mediale, York Festival of Ideas, the 13th Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music
Festival, as well as at a number of academic conferences and events.
TARGET GROUP
General Public
PARTNERS
The Deep aquarium in Hull, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Plymouth
University Psychology and Sustainability Group, Exeter Medical School
KEY LEARNINGS
- Technology can ‘speak’ to people in a way which encourages engagement
with conservation science - Health and wellbeing can be positively improved by engagement with wildlife
in real-world and exhibition contexts - Children and young adults ‘accept’ technology enhanced experiences (e.g.,
VR, mobile augmentation) more readily but also become disengaged more
quickly. Gamification provides a natural route to sustaining interest.