The project aims to educate students on the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef through the use of VR. The coral reefs are vital for marine life and protect people from natural disasters while providing food and income for millions of people. However, over the last 30 years, more than 50% of the world's corals have been lost, and climate change is the leading cause of the devastating bleaching events. The problem is that people have difficulty comprehending the gravity of the situation, making awareness-raising a challenge. This project proposes to bridge this gap through VR technology, directly exposing users to the consequences of climate change, specifically how the rise in temperature contributes to coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef.
The approach taken involves creating an environment that mimics the Great Barrier Reef as close to reality as possible. Research shows that visual realism in virtual environments results in increased presence and effective response, making the experience more impactful. The experience includes over 2500 pieces of coral, more than 50 fish species with AI-based swimming movements, underwater sound, water caustics, and floating particles.
Link to the GitHub: https://github.com/zoebreed/coralreef
Keywords: Virtual Reality, Unity, Coral Reef