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| Image provided by MIT Media Lab |
Four years ago, the idea of sensory fiction swept the internet, provoking a discussion regarding the future of the novel. Among others, reporters from NPR, The Guardian, and The Independent published articles about a so-called “Wearable Book.” The articles discuss a vest that is constructed in Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s course, “Science Fiction to Science Fabrication,” which requires students to construct a wearable book, which includes a vest with sensors that put out stimulations to create a physiological reading experience. MIT stated that the vest was not a product to be released anytime soon, but was only "meant to provoke discussion." But is this actually the future of the book or a desperate attempt at saving the book’s 2D experience in a time of virtual reality? However, this article was first published back in 2014. Considering the leaps of the virtual and augmented reality industry, (the number of active users is forecasted to reach 171 million by this year[1]) has this fantastical version of the book become a reality?
The accessibility of virtual reality blurs the line between constructed reality and reality. Since 2014, dozens of startups combining the augmented reality experience and the publishing industry have popped up. For instance, Bookful, created by the VR company Inception and Penguin Random House, is an app that “merges the digital and physical worlds to create an interactive reading experience that instills in children a passion for books.[2]” Readers can choose a book through the app on their smartphone or tablet and the book will merge with your environment to create a pop-up book experience on the screen. Another startup, Ambient Literature, a project between UWE Bristol Bath Spa University and the University of Birmingham, has spent two years exploring the “locational and technological future of the book.”[3]
Because Ambient Literature is an experiment in this rise of VR books, it raises a larger question about quality versus spectacle. This year, Kate Pullinger, in partnership with Ambient Literature, published a made-for-smartphone novel Breathe, which worked as a follow up for her first novel, Jellybone. The story, which tells the story of Flo, a young woman who attempts to communicate with her mother but connects to another interrupting voice of an unknown ghost. The novel uses the smartphone camera to incorporate the surroundings into the narrative. The interrupting voice of the ghost interrupts the screen through a mimicry of a cracked screen, a ghostly font with a glowing red background, and incorporating the location of the reader into the story to add to the ghostly nature.
However, both the novel and the visual techniques are a letdown. The writing relies on the gimmicks of the interactive experience. The screen actions are equivalent to a simple phone game, and are way less advance than any virtual reality experience that viewers can experience on their own personal devices. The effect of the ghost story is limited by the smartphone experience because the portable nature allows for the chaos that surrounds the reader to interrupt the suspense of the narrative. However, the main goal of Ambient Literature is to explore these VR techniques rather than perfect them: this could explain the simplistic nature of Pullinger’s story.
However, while we could be lenient with Pullinger’s writing, it does raise a question on how simplistic the writing has to be to be accessible on a smartphone or tablet. As mentioned before, Bookful is targeted toward children and produces experiences of Penguin’s children’s classics. Maybe this is the answer to the idea of immersive literature: the younger generation. In the age of instant communication and a general expectation for the visually spectacular, the younger generation has instantaneous access to visual effects that have become not just unsurprising, but expected. This is positioned as both an opportunity and a challenge for these VR/Publishing startups: there’s a market but high expectations. Including virtual reality into the publishing industry could reignite excitement for children and young adults to read if books are marketed relate to mediums they enjoy, such as video games. However, it could be quickly rejected if they seem outdated or subpar to the general quality of immersive gaming experiences on the market, causing extra pressure for the industry to quickly adapt with rising technology.
Beyond these logistical issues is the idea of redefining the industry. Going back to the wearable novel: is this how we should be experiencing literature? On the topic, NPR editor Ellen McDonnell commented “if these device things are helping 'put you there,' it just means the writing won't have to be as good."[4]McDonnell raises questions surrounding the purpose of the novel. What work is the novel doing if the vest can provide an emotional connection to the characters and setting through artificial empathy? Yes, the 4D qualities the wearable vest incorporates, such as mimicking the physiological emotions and mood of the setting, connects you directly into place. However, does this eliminate the personal connection to the novel by connecting you physically to the book rather than applying your own personal experiences and empathy to the story?
This question becomes more complex when thinking of young adult writing that targets a demographic going through extreme physical and emotional changes. Growing up, my sister used to cry at the stories collected in Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul, and most girls I knew would read Judy Blumeat lunchtime. Middle school students I’ve taught obsess over each new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. Are these monumental reading experiences ruined when the experience of the book is physical rather than developing a natural emotional connection?
I might just be grasping onto the tradition of the novel. We’ve seen the industry transition to eBooks and adapt to the Kindle and iPad. But maybe this is a natural step in adapting to the changing industry and a necessary response to creative destruction.
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