Save the date! Juan Torres Brenes LaRoche’s MFA thesis defense is June 20, 2024.
Juan joined the Department of Design in 2021 in the Digital Animation and Interactive Media track.
His areas of expertise include virtual environment design, animatronics, graphic design, and XR development. Trained as a 3D environment artist and lighter, he finds joy in creating rich and detailed scenes. Upon completing his MFA, Juan will work as a full-time show programmer at Disney Imagineering.
Committee Members:
Matthew Lewis
Shadrick Addy
Alex Oliszewski
Thesis Project Title:
Themed Entertainment and Immersive Design Methods: Developing a Framework for Improving the Sense of Presence in Immersive Experiences
Project Description:
This thesis is an investigation of removing controllers and employing immersive design methods to improve the sense of presence and immersion in virtual reality experiences. The project titled Orbweaver, introduces an experimental teleportation device, enabling players to teleport to a distant space station and take part in an exciting experiment. The experience uses physical microcontroller interaction consoles aligned with the virtual environment to provide realistic alignment between the physical and virtual surfaces. Featuring immersive audio design, live performance, a preshow, hand tracking, and more, this experience allows players to immerse themselves in the Orbweaver story and witness teleportation technology firsthand.
