↑ The secret that made this VR experience feel “real"
↑ The participant was awed by the VR aurora experience
Workshop Date
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM, October 19, 2025 (5 participants)
02:00 PM – 03:30 PM, October 19, 2025 (9 participants)
Project Background
This project began with a deeply personal mission. A beloved family member was diagnosed with cancer, which restricted her ability to travel, leaving her feeling disconnected from the world. Witnessing her sadness, I was driven to use my expertise in Experience Design and Virtual Reality to create a new possibility: allowing her, and others with reduced mobility due to illness, to still experience the wonder of the world.
We were privileged to collaborate with the Silver Center of NAPCU (National Association for the Promotion of Community Universities) to deliver this VR Northern Lights travel experience to both elderly and younger participants.
My Role
Experience Designer: Collaborated on core ideation and applied design skills to achieve a highly realistic and immersive experience.
Scene Designer: Handled the spatial design and setup, utilizing the physical environment to amplify the Nordic theme and overall experience.
Facilitator: Ensured a high level of immersion by acting as a flight attendant during the workshop to enhance the travel narrative.
Target Audience & Needs
Target Audience: Elderly individuals with mobility limitations who long for the experience of travel.
Needs: To feel like they have genuinely traveled to their dream destination, all while requiring minimal physical movement or exertion.
Experience Flow & Emotional Curve
Design Highlights: : Seamless Blending of Virtual and Reality
We aimed to ensure participants felt this was an actual trip, not merely a video viewed through a VR headset. To achieve this, we structured the experience around three core design elements.
Setup Physical Environment
The conference room was transformed into a cozy Nordic-style living room. We used warm, yellow lighting, comfortable furnishings (sofas, rugs), and aromatherapy to create a welcoming, distinct atmosphere the moment participants arrived.
Provide Human Touch
We branded the experience as the “Portal Airline" and dressed as flight attendants. Our team greeted participants, checked their boarding passes at the entrance, and personally assisted them in using the VR devices, enhancing the overall immersion.
Leave Tangible Memory
We used realistic mock boarding passes to boost authenticity. Crucially, we leveraged an AI tool to instantly generate a composite photo of the participant with the aurora. This image was printed as a Polaroid, serving as a tangible memento that cemented the feeling of having reached the destination.
Participants’ Feedback
We were genuinely touched by the participants’ feedback, which confirmed the experience provided them with a meaningful sense of real travel.
“Because the aurora feels so incredibly distant, this trip truly felt like a dream realized."—Ms. Ye (50+)
“This was an unexpectedly wonderful and curious journey. The ticket and the cozy, comfortable ‘plane’ setup made the experience so lifelike. What was most touching was how ‘thoughtful and relevant’ the design was throughout. The virtual VR sensation created a very real, touching feeling—that is what true warmth means."
—Anonymous
“I truly appreciate the team’s meticulously designed, surprising, warm, and complimentary trip to see the Icelandic aurora. They transformed the dazzling Northern Lights into a memory with depth, a story, and real warmth. I thoroughly enjoyed this brief but profoundly moving journey."
—Ms. Zhang (70+)
Afterword & Special Thanks
A special thank you to Professor Huai-Hsuan Chen for the opportunity to collaborate with the Silver Center of NAPCU, and for her valuable advice on hosting successful events for the elderly.
I also extend my gratitude to my partner BPW for his vital assistance, from co-developing the experience flow and confirming execution details to setting up the venue. This event would not have been possible without his partnership.
I deeply appreciate the support and the attendance of every participant. I look forward to continuing this initiative, offering everyone who is limited by physical barriers the opportunity to see the world and experience genuine delight.
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