Augmenting Psychological Restorativeness towards Immersive Design of Underwater Ambiance

¹ Izmir University of Economics, Department of Visual Communication Design, 35330 Izmir, Turkey
² Izmir University of Economics, Department of Architecture, 35330 Izmir, Turkey

^* Corresponding author: nermin.ozger@iue.edu.tr

Abstract

Discussions of the relationship between humanity and built environment usually focus on the human’s relationships with the earth’s surface. Less attention has been given to underwater environments, a relatively underexplored research area at the intersection of user experience design and psychology. This paper shows the initial findings of experiments on divers, which can guide the design of augmented reality tools for underwater environment. The comparative evaluation process demonstrates an increase in psychological restorativeness of users in relation to ambiance design, indicating a difference between a specifically designed environment and a naturally vacant area for first time divers. Future studies will explore immersive design of underwater ambiance through augmented reality tools, proposed as a product design and framework, in order to improve psychological restorativeness.