Dr , from the School of Architecture, Design and Planning, is leading work in multi-sensory extended reality (XR) simulations that move beyond traditional visualisation tools. Her research is transforming how architects, planners, and communities experience and shape the built environment.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not just building digital models; we鈥檙e creating interactive environments that respond to the human body and mind,鈥 said Dr Globa.聽
鈥淭his allows designers and stakeholders to test and improve spaces before they鈥檙e built, making them more inclusive, responsive, and supportive of human experience from the very beginning.鈥
What if we could experience a space before it鈥檚 built鈥攏ot just see it, but actually feel it?
Using XR, Dr Globa and her team are developing immersive simulations that replicate not only how a space looks, but also how it feels through temperature, touch, spatial sound, and even smell.聽聽
The project integrates biometric and brain activity tracking鈥攊ncluding heart rate, skin response, and eye movement鈥攖o capture emotional and physical reactions in real time.
鈥淥ur XR simulations show that it鈥檚 now possible to digitally recreate these sensations in virtual environments,鈥 Dr Globa explained.聽聽
鈥淭he key takeaway is clear: we can and should revolutionise the way we design built environments by making them truly multi-sensory. This approach doesn鈥檛 just improve design, it makes spaces healthier, more inclusive, and more human.鈥
Insights across cultures and contexts
The team鈥檚 findings reveal notable cultural and personal differences in how people respond to sensory experiences.聽
鈥淲hat stood out most was how differently people responded to sensory experiences in our XR simulations, especially across cultural backgrounds,鈥 Dr Globa said.聽
鈥淔or example, participants from Asian regions were less comfortable in bright, sunny semi-outdoor environments compared to Australian cohorts, who generally found them pleasant.鈥澛
Other discoveries highlighted the role of smell, with some participants reacting strongly to certain scents while others barely noticed them. These insights show how multi-sensory design can support spaces that reflect the diverse needs of communities.
Multi-sensory XR can play a transformative role in improving public spaces, supporting diverse stakeholder needs, enhancing accessibility, and promoting wellbeing, particularly in areas like aged care, rehabilitation, and public engagement.
Dr Anastasia Globa
Project Lead and Senior Lecturer in Computational Design and Advanced Manufacturing (Architecture)
Applications beyond architecture
While the built environment is central to the research, its applications extend far beyond.聽
鈥淥ur work expands the boundaries of XR by demonstrating that immersive technologies can and should engage the full spectrum of human senses,鈥 Dr Globa said. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 exciting is how these insights are already translating into other domains.鈥
The team is applying their findings to fields ranging from autonomous vehicle design, where immersive feedback could improve safety and trust, to social XR for older adults, helping reduce isolation and build emotional connection.聽聽
Other applications include bushfire simulations, immersive data visualisation, and historic reconstructions such as the construction process of the Sydney Opera House.
Partnerships and collaboration
As part of this project Dr Globa worked with to explore how XR could support digital workflows in the renovation of the University鈥檚 F10 New Law Building and the Chau Chak Wing Museum on the design of Augmented Reality applications for museum exhibitions.聽聽
Looking ahead, Dr Globa sees strong potential for collaboration with government, community organisations, and the health sector.
鈥淢ulti-sensory XR can play a transformative role in improving public spaces, supporting diverse stakeholder needs, enhancing accessibility, and promoting wellbeing, particularly in areas like aged care, rehabilitation, and public engagement,鈥 she said.聽
Building a human-centred future
For Dr Globa, the goal of her research is to shape environments that support wellbeing and inclusivity through immersive, evidence-based design.聽
鈥淏y grounding XR design in real human responses, measured through biometric and cognitive data, we鈥檙e helping to shape a future where immersive technologies are not only more realistic but also more empathetic, inclusive, and impactful,鈥 she said.
This research demonstrates the 爆料王鈥檚 capability in advancing XR and human-computer interaction鈥攖ransforming not only the spaces we build, but how we experience them.聽
Our researchers
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