This virtual reality (VR) experience places the viewer inside the centre of the microscopic world of a virus – Herpes. The result is a beautiful, intricate 3D form for the viewer to interactively explore and play with in this VR room.

The viewer can control their journey in this VR world by simple hand and head movements to reveal its structures and navigate different areas of its 60-fold symmetrical “capsid” shell structure. The artwork is a scientific computer simulation which captures the virus’ internal molecular dynamics and protein components.

The role of the artist, in this instance as a scientific illustrator working in collaboration with the software and research teams, is to make this intricate spherical structure accessible to the wider public through the use of novel VR and visualisation tools.

Professor William Latham of Goldsmiths, University of London is a designer of computer games, a computer artist and entrepreneur. He is an expert in evolutionary art, graphics, generative art, genetics, and the entertainment and video games industries.

Credits:
The project is a collaboration between York University Mathematical Biology Group, Goldsmiths Mutator VR Research Group, Oxford Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine and Christchurch Studios.

Software: Stephen Todd and Peter Todd

Scientific Research: Reidun Twarock, Frederic Fol Leymarie, Richard Bingham and Steve Taylor

Partner Organisations: Goldsmiths, The University of York, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine and Christchurch Villas Winchester

Software: MVR CSynth Virus VR Software

Hardware:- PC, Nvidia 1080 Graphics Card, HTC Vive VR Headset and HD Projector

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/29644