Embedded Files
2023 - virtual reality, duration variable
Software development: Callum Wood
Creative producer: Andrea Rassell
Carbon scientists: Jacob Martin, Gabriel Francas, Irene Suarez-Martinez & Nigel Marks
Funding: Forrest Research Foundation, Science Gallery Bengaluru.
Links: https://www.andrearassell.com/carbon-nanoverse/
https://bengaluru.sciencegallery.com/carbon-as-material/carbon-nanoverse
Events:
Carbon Nanoverse VR is an immersive virtual reality and sound experience that takes audiences inside the nanoscale world of carbon materials. Viewers explore graphite, nanotubes, fullerenes and disordered porous carbons used in batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage and carbon capture.
Carbon Nanoverse VR is an immersive virtual reality and sound experience that takes audiences inside the nanoscale world of carbon materials. Viewers explore graphite, nanotubes, fullerenes and disordered porous carbons used in batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage and carbon capture.
The experience shows how carbon can work in different forms. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to climate change, but solid carbon materials can help store energy, capture gases, filter water and support technologies that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
The experience shows how carbon can work in different forms. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to climate change, but solid carbon materials can help store energy, capture gases, filter water and support technologies that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
By combining atomistic simulation, immersive visualisation and sound, Carbon Nanoverse VR helps students, industry partners and public audiences see carbon differently: not only as a problem to reduce, but as a material to understand, respect and use responsibly.
By combining atomistic simulation, immersive visualisation and sound, Carbon Nanoverse VR helps students, industry partners and public audiences see carbon differently: not only as a problem to reduce, but as a material to understand, respect and use responsibly.
CARBON: Under Pressure
CARBON: Under Pressure
Exhibition - Carbon Nanoverse: A computational microscope for disordered materials. Science Gallery Bengaluru 1 August 2023 - 31 July 2024
https://bengaluru.sciencegallery.com/carbon-as-material/carbon-nanoverse
Carbon Nanoverse was a virtual reality and sound experience exhibited at Science Gallery Bengaluru as part of Carbon as Material. The work invited visitors to move through atomistic models of graphite, charcoal and activated carbon, revealing the hidden nanoscale disorder inside industrially important carbon materials.
The exhibition connected carbon materials science with the energy transition. While carbon pollution in the atmosphere is driving climate change, solid carbon materials are also essential for moving away from fossil fuels. Graphite, porous carbons and related materials are used in lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen technologies, carbon capture and other clean-energy systems.
The experience was developed from Curtin Carbon Group research using computational modelling to build three-dimensional structures of disordered carbon. In VR, visitors could explore these materials as if travelling through a computational microscope, seeing how pores, rings, defects and curved carbon networks shape their useful properties.
The exhibition ran for one year and reached more than 50,000 visitors by Science Gallery Bengaluru door count. As part of the exhibition, we also trained Science Gallery mediators to explain the science behind the work to public audiences.
Carbon Nanoverse was developed in collaboration with filmmaker, media artist and nanoartist Dr Andrea Rassell. Andrea Rassell also exhibited Movement 1: Nanomorphology at Science Gallery Bengaluru, a sound and moving-image work that used atomic force microscopy data to explore graphene and carbon at the nanoscale. https://bengaluru.sciencegallery.com/carbon-as-material/movement-1-nanomorphology
Workshop - How do artists and scientists collaborate to create immersive experiences? | March 2024
https://bengaluru.sciencegallery.com/workshops/carbonnanoverse
"Participants listened to Jacob Martin and Andrea Rassell as they discussed the behind-the-scenes creation of Carbon Nanoverse, a cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) project blending media arts, physical chemistry, and game theory. The session was a deep-dive into a hands-on demonstration of stereoscopic 3D video for VR, which introduced easily accessible media tools for science projects along with a guided tour of the immersive VR experience. "
Lecture - Into the Nanoverse: An Atomic View of a Battery, Science Gallery Bengaluru | March 2024
"Acompanying the virtual reality exhibit Carbon Nanoverse at CARBON, Science Gallery Bengaluru, this talk with materials scientist Dr Jacob Martin, who is part of the two-person team behind the exhibit, gave an insight behind the science of it all.
Jacob focused on the science behind the lithium-ion batteries that are revolutionising our transport and are set to transform our electrical grid. But how do they work at the atomic scale? The audience experienced the atomic structure of a battery using computer visualisations and 3D glasses! Alongside this atom eye view, Jacob discussed the materials science that led to the discovery of the battery, and his recent work on manufacturing battery grade graphite. "
Space Activations
Space Activations
World Expo Osaka with the Australian Pavillion
Gave a talk for a research showcase of Australian research to Japanese companies. In the talk I introduced the virtual reality experience which was used as a space activation after the talk.
Research Rumble - Powering the Future: Advancing the Energy Transition with Critical Minerals Sept 2023
The virtual reality headset and a red-blue version as shown as part of the conference science communication awards.
Science Communication Awards Advancing Net Zero Mining WA Conference Aug 2023
The virtual reality headset and a red-blue version as shown as part of the conference science communication awards.
Outreach/Education
Outreach/Education
Workshop - Carbon Nanoverse and the Energy Transition Think like a Scientist: Prison programmes Casuarina Prison Workshop - Jan 2025
Two virtual reality headsets were taken into the Casuarina Prison and a series of activities were undertaken with the
See the video to the below showing the activities undertaken.
Workshop - Carbon Nanoverse and the Energy Transition Think like a Scientist: Prison programmes Geraldton and Bandyup | Jan 2024
Two virtual reality headsets were taken into the Prisons and a series of activities were undertaken focused on understanding the energy transition at the atomic scale.
See the video to the below showing the activities undertaken.
Workshop Carbon Vibrations - Forrest Hall National Science Week event Aug 2025
The virtual reality headset was shown to the public for the National Science Week event with support from Mingxin Ye.
Demonstration - The World Congress on Carbon, Cancun July 2023
Behind the scene
Behind the scene
Development of Carbon Nanoverse VR
Development of the software started in 2022 as part of Callum Wood's Honours project. Custom software was written in Unity to enable perioidic simulations to be explored using portable virtual reality headsets. This allows for a completely portable exploration of cutting edge models of industrally significant carbon materials. A custom shader and dynamic rendering to able models containing millions of atoms to be visualised.
Dr Andrea Rassell worked with Callum to improve the game mechanics and undertook aesthetics development as well as composing a custom soundtrack for the experience.
Below are some early prototypes of the software. There is also presentation explaining the science behind the models and how they are used to improve how we make Lithium-ion batteries.
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