What is Immersive?
Immersive isn’t new. It’s been around since humans discovered the power of storytelling. Attached to the drawings on the caves of our ancestors is a story and a message. An experience so inherently “immersive” that it inspired humans to create greater and better things. But as our species continues to advance, so do our standards for what qualifies as Immersive.
At TXI, we believe three crucial components must be satisfied for an experience to be considered immersive. First, the design must be intimate. A sincere and honest connection must be made with the audience through libraries worth of research that deeply understands the user’s pains, gains, wants, and needs. An experience must also be interactive such that the user feels they have a personal stake in the story being told. The story cannot move forward without their participation, and the user should be acutely aware that they are needed. Lastly we require the design to integrate experiential elements so that the story feels real. Friction between the story’s reality and the user’s reality can break engagement.
If an experience truly satisfies these needs then an audience will be immersed in a story that can provoke genuine action and true connections.
The Mission
Texas Immersive Institute’s mission is to provide access to emerging technology and research to design experiences for artists, scientists, and humanists who use storytelling to share solutions to big problems that are responsive, responsible and remarkable.
Our goal is to imagine the unknown into existence through the practice of immersion. We strive to ensure our community lives at the intersection of culture and commerce such that consumers can engage through a blend of physical, digital and voice environments with ease.
The Vision
We aren’t just innovators — we’re translators of today’s world. We’re explorers of uncharted spaces. We don’t limit ourselves to thinking about the now because theorizing what’s to come gives us an insatiable hunger to create.
We, as a collective, strive to understand one another to create novel, interactive, intimate experiences that move between the physical and digital world that will dramatically change in the near future.
The Goals
We’re a band of maker misfits and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our goals cross multiple disciplines and industries because our diverse skill sets can inspire change just about anywhere.
1. Push boundaries and knowledge of audience research using emerging platforms.
2. Design immersive storytelling as a vessel to provoke actionable change.
3. Consider and apply how emerging technology can improve our daily lives.
