A European Union-funded project is using virtual reality games to help the public and policymakers understand air pollution and its impacts.
The initiative, called LIFE V-aiR, began in August 2022 and is coordinated by Atmo Grand Est, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) announced.
It has a total budget of €1.3 million and involves nine partners from France, Spain and Romania.
The project uses virtual reality — a headset-based digital experience — to turn air quality data into interactive games.
The aim is to present air-climate-energy issues to decision-makers in an “innovative” way, using air quality data collected in their areas, project representative Anna Manicot said.
One of the two games is a 20-minute virtual reality “escape game” designed for the general public.
Players are placed on a fictional ‘Blue Sky Explorer’ station and solve riddles in two rooms focused on the health and environmental effects of pollutants and on where pollution comes from.
Two games for two audiences
The second game is aimed at urban planning and environmental policy, CINEA said.
It places participants in a scenario set in 2070 before sending them back to the present, and is played in pairs with one person wearing the headset while the other uses a technical manual.
Players work through puzzles linked to agriculture, energy, transport, housing and industry.
The project plans to reach more than 12,000 citizens and 2,000 local decision-makers by 2028.
Regional partners offer free loans of virtual reality headsets and training for local events, while the games can be downloaded for free on Meta Quest for people with compatible headsets.
The games are available in multiple languages including English, French, German, Romanian and Spanish.
