Becoming Bats with "EchoVision": Towards Eco-Phenomenological Mixed Reality

Abstract

What is it like to be a bat? "EchoVision"is a mixed reality art experience that simulates bat echolocation, immersing participants in the perceptual umwelt of bats. Using a custom-designed, handheld, bat-shaped mask based on the open-source HoloKit mixed reality headset, participants visualize echolocation through dynamic feedback responsive to their voices and the surrounding 3D environment. Our site-specific pop-up exhibition in a natural bat habitat demonstrated mixed reality's potential to foster empathy for non-human species. This eco-art work explores a step towards eco-phenomenological mixed reality, opening new avenues for ecological education and the exploration of more-than-human perspectives through experiential embodiment.