MRx as a participatory platform

Abstract

Facilitating and supporting various modes of social interaction has been part of Mixed Reality (MR^x)¹1 As defined in the introductory article for this series, MR^x experiences are conceptualized as site-specific; hybrid; and aesthetic, performative and/or social (For a detailed history of MR see, Introduction to this special issue) (Rouse et al., 2015b Rouse, R., Engberg, M., JafariNaimi, N., and Bolter, J. 2015b. “MR^x Design and Criticism: The Confluence of Media Studies, Performance, and Social Interaction.” Digital Creativity 26 (3/4). doi:10.1080/14626268.2015.1100124.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). design experiments and discourse over the past twenty years. But what vision of social interaction is sought and advanced through Mixed Reality environments? In this paper, I identify two dominant ways that social interaction is envisioned in MR^x designs, broadly construed as material and political, and illustrated through a series of examples. I further draw on them to highlight the potentials, boundaries, and limitations of each with regards to the kinds of social interactions that are sought and cultivated through the integration of digital media on physical space. I suggest that as MR becomes mainstream, it is important to go beyond these visions to consider whether and how MR^x environments might connect with the economic, social, and cultural specificity of local sites to meaningfully serve the always evolving social needs and purposes of their communities.