Erika Woolsey, a cofounder of the nonprofit The Hydrous, is leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology as a tool to promote ocean conservation. The organization creates augmented and virtual reality experiences designed to connect people with the marine environment, aiming to make the ocean more accessible and inspire greater efforts for its protection.
Woolsey, who is also an affiliate at Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, has observed that immersive technology not only enhances education but also cultivates empathy. Research conducted by her lab indicates significant improvements in both ocean literacy and emotional connection among users who engage with VR experiences.
"We're seeing significant increases across both ocean literacy [...] as well as emotional connection," Woolsey stated. She likens the experience of users exiting a VR headset to that of divers removing their masks after a dive, eager to share their discoveries. "Sometimes, people have tears in their eyes when they come out of the VR,” she added.
The urgency for such initiatives stems from the ocean's critical role as Earth's life-support system, providing food security, economic stability, medicinal resources, and climate regulation. However, Woolsey points out that the ocean is "overexploited, underprotected, and pretty much out of mind." She was particularly struck by a global mass-bleaching event, which she described as shocking, noting that an ecosystem she had studied for years could be destroyed rapidly, yet the public response was not commensurate with the scale of the disaster.
To address this disconnect, The Hydrous is collaborating with Silverback Film, known for natural history productions like Netflix's “Our Planet,” and immersive studio Submersa Studios. This partnership aims to deliver innovative and interactive ocean experiences to audiences at museums, aquariums, and other venues.
Woolsey has also been a part of National Geographic Live's touring initiative, helping to provide virtual dives to a wider audience across North America in recent years.