The autoscopic flying avatar: a new paradigm to study bilocated presence in mixed reality

This position paper presents the project "Becoming Avatar" deals with avatarial immersion [1] addressed through an interdisciplinary experimental approach. Its goal, at the crossroad of the creation of images and interactive technology, of virtual reality, neurophysiology and information and communication sciences, is to develop a device and a media scenario to support the hypothesis of a split state and to objectify the situation of bilocation [2]. Being present both here in front of the screen and over there, beyond the screen, which is shown by empirical studies of video games and by artists and metaverse explorers in Second Life. This type of state resonates in neurophysiology with the artificial "Out-of-Body Experiences" sensations produced with the aid of virtual reality equipment on healthy subjects. The production includes the development of a scientific experimental facility for physiological measurements and a public installation allowing someone to live a non-ordinary experience of split self. The common feature to both aspects of the project is based on the original idea of integrating video and 3D technology in order to experiment a situation of flight in mixed reality. The subject is literally invited to "become an avatar", indeed, he sees his own image, filmed from behind, inlaid into a synthetic world where he will be able to move freely and experiment different events. This autoscopic system of immersion was imagined in 2012 by E. Pereny and worked again in 2013-2014 with Pr A. Berthoz and E.A. Amato, to be developed and finalized with N. Galinotti and G. Gorisse, with Jams sessions integrating students.