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Communicating natural hazards with immersive media: creative technologies for engagement now and into the future
Although communication and engagement strategies for disaster preparedness, response and recovery have been widely researched, evidence suggests many current strategies are not compelling. Evidence-based strategies that engender protective behaviours and resilience-building, at scale, are urgently needed. Research with communities shows ‘visual proof' is compelling for building risk perception pre-hazards, and gauging risk during the hazard itself. In this context, immersive media technologies are attracting increasing research attention. We have a growing understanding of how people learn from immersive media experiences, and next-generation technologies are emerging, including those with AI-powered interactivity. Such “creativity” has been identified as a crucial missing piece in hazard communication.
This paper reviews augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR) and immersive 360-degree cinema technologies for hazard communication and engagement. Immersive media enable realistic, interactive simulations of disaster scenarios, allowing decision making in controlled environments. Research shows such experiences let users emotionally engage with hazard impacts, making abstract risks feel real – motivating protective behaviour. However, such technologies must go beyond visual, multi-sensory experiences to better support retention and behaviour change, compared with traditional media. XR experiences must build users' sense of agency and self-efficacy to change outcomes both in the immersive environment – and in the real world.
This paper explores immersive media for hazard communication practice in Australia and Europe. It distils research learnings, pinpointing where gaps lie in using immersive technologies for public communication. Immersive media could be transformative for bridging the information-action gap given their visual storytelling and interactive capacity, which can be tailored to diverse audiences, including those with language barriers or limited literacy. However, challenges remain, including scalability and equitable access, especially in vulnerable communities most at risk from hazards. The paper also looks at advanced capabilities, particularly those powered by AI, in assessing immersive technologies for hazard communication.
This paper reviews augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR) and immersive 360-degree cinema technologies for hazard communication and engagement. Immersive media enable realistic, interactive simulations of disaster scenarios, allowing decision making in controlled environments. Research shows such experiences let users emotionally engage with hazard impacts, making abstract risks feel real – motivating protective behaviour. However, such technologies must go beyond visual, multi-sensory experiences to better support retention and behaviour change, compared with traditional media. XR experiences must build users' sense of agency and self-efficacy to change outcomes both in the immersive environment – and in the real world.
This paper explores immersive media for hazard communication practice in Australia and Europe. It distils research learnings, pinpointing where gaps lie in using immersive technologies for public communication. Immersive media could be transformative for bridging the information-action gap given their visual storytelling and interactive capacity, which can be tailored to diverse audiences, including those with language barriers or limited literacy. However, challenges remain, including scalability and equitable access, especially in vulnerable communities most at risk from hazards. The paper also looks at advanced capabilities, particularly those powered by AI, in assessing immersive technologies for hazard communication.
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