1. RE-CREATION OF SELF IN IMMERSIVE
VIRTUAL WORLDS
Addressing Identity in Rehabilitation of People Suffering from Aphasia
Ulla Konnerup, Aalborg University,
ullak@hum.aau.dk

2. ABOUT
AALBORG UNIVERSITY
Aalborg University is one of the
largest enterprises in Jutland
- making Aalborg a vibrant university city
Additional AAU campuses in Esbjerg
and Copenhagen
Aalborg University is in partnership
with 377 universities worldwide
- 298 in Europe
- 79 in the Americas, Africa, and in Asia-Pacific

3. Visting Scholar at H-star
• Inspiring to spent some time in another research
environment
• State of Art – related research
• Host Jeremy Bailenson VHIL
• Future collaboration

4. My PhD is about……
• How communication, learning and identity is closely linked together
• Recreating oneself/identity by interaction in immersive virtual worlds
Transforming the rehabilitation landscape into an immersive virtual
environment will give possibilities for:
– multimodal ways of communication
– social interactions
– emotional experiences
– Presentation oneself
– involvement of the body will affect the brain reestablishing process
positively and promote cognitive and communicative functions
(Moreover a social life and be free to independently using technologies)
•

5. Arguments
1. IVW opens up for bodily immersion and interacting
through avatar mediating.
1. Interacting in 3D IVW fires (almost) the same
neurons as interaction in the real world
1. IVW provides the opportunity for use of multiple
sensory stimuli, and for the promotion and
development of the nervous lanes in the brain.

6. Empirical Work (2010-2012)
Establishment of a project
group (people suffering from
aphasia, relatives and
speech therapists)
Interviews (before and after
the pilot courses)
Workshops ( dialog/
activities about needs and
wishes for aphasiac)
Pilot Courses (observations,
videotape)