The Power of Multi-Sensory Experiences: A Journey Through Empathy at E3

Last week, we had the privilege of participating in something truly special, The E3 Conference at Eastern Michigan University - a vibrant gathering that champions neurodiversity through immersive learning, open dialogue, and real-world action.

At the heart of this event lies a powerful idea: that understanding and empathy begin not just with hearing or seeing, but with experiencing.

Our E3 Mission: Sharing, Showing, and Shifting Perspectives

Over the course of the week, our CEO Jeff Rayner was involved in three initiatives that align with this mission:

🔹 Thursday: He presented to student groups about what it's like to work in digital media, covering startup culture, XR tech, and how to carve out your niche in the immersive industry.

🔹 Friday Morning: He delivered a talk titled “The Benefits of Multi-Sensory Experiences”, where he showed how engaging with multiple senses changes how we learn, empathize, and remember.

🔹 Friday Afternoon: Jeff and other professors at EMich co-hosted “The Fluidity of Empathy”, a deeply collaborative and sensory-rich installation designed to help people literally step into someone else's world.

These aren’t your standard lectures or exhibits. They’re experiences meant to ignite curiosity, compassion, and connection.

Why Multi-Sensory Design Matters

For many neurodivergent individuals, life is already a multi-sensory experience, intensely so. It’s not just what you say, but how it feels, looks, sounds, smells, and moves.

But if we take a step back… isn’t that true for everyone?

Multi-sensory design doesn’t just make things more engaging. It makes them more human.

In Jeff's talk, he explored how multi-sensory environments:

Enhance memory, joy, and long-term understanding
Naturally support a more inclusive experience for a wider audience
Create new pathways for empathy, especially in education, healthcare, and community design
Help bridge the gap between lived experience and learned understanding

When we design for more than just eyes and ears, we create spaces that feel like they’re made for everyone... because they are!

The Fluidity of Empathy: Step Into Another Perspective

This is where things get beautifully immersive.

Alongside some incredible collaborators: Professor Christopher Robbins, Laura Russeau, Assistant Professor Metaphor Brown, and Sam Carter, we’ve created a unique installation titled “The Fluidity of Empathy.”

Imagine walking through a day in the life of a neurodivergent person, but instead of reading a story or hearing a lecture, you actually live it, even just for a moment.

The experience includes:

Augmented reality magic mirrors
Projection mapping zones
Sensory overload simulations
Dyslexia-focused challenges
Adaptive VR inspired by our educational game, Europa Prime

Visitors try Europa Prime VR, a puzzle game designed with and for neurodivergent learners that teaches them about STEM in a fun engaging puzzle game style experience.

Each zone is crafted to activate the senses and allow visitors to feel, not just understand, what someone else might experience.

We’re not just saying, “Here’s what it’s like.”...We’re inviting people to say, “Now I feel it too.”

Three of the many "Magic Mirror" AR experiences to help viewers understand the complexities some face in social situations.

Empathy Begins with Experience

In a world full of noise, we don’t always need to speak louder, we need to listen deeper.

Multi-sensory design gives us the tools to tune into others' experiences, build emotional resonance, and design with inclusion from the start, not as an afterthought.

Whether you’re an educator, a technologist, or someone simply curious about creating more compassionate spaces, we invite you to explore the potential of immersive empathy.

If you’re building inclusive experiences, let's connect, because the future is multi-sensory, and it’s meant to be felt together.

Huge gratitude to our passionate and creative volunteers:

Briana Render, Nathan, Alex, Louise, and Chloe Gates - this work wouldn't be possible without you!