Future Reading Experience

Abstract

This thesis project began with a holistic exploration of fiction reading and the emerging development of immersive reading in virtual reality (VR). The investigation focused on the concept of narrative transportation—a mental state in which readers feel absorbed into a fictional world and may lose track of time in the real one. One key challenge in the context of VR fiction reading is the lack of clarity around what enables transportation in such environments. This research takes that uncertainty as its starting point, aiming to uncover the sources of narrative immersion and explore how they can be amplified through design in VR contexts.

The early phase of the project involved a user study with eight participants who regularly read fiction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand their reading contexts, the sources of transportation across different media formats, and their perceptions of VR fiction reading using a 2D demo video adapted from previous studies. To analyze the abstract qualities of transportation, the Evaluation Grid Method (EGM) was applied—an effective technique for uncovering layered emotional responses and design preferences.
Key insights from the user study revealed that readers often create or seek environments helpful to immersion, and that visual cues—such as book covers or illustrations—serve as anchors that help them re-enter the fictional world and revive mental imagery. These insights led to a refined design goal: “Amplify narrative transportation in VR fiction reading by leveraging environmental and visual cues beyond the text itself.”

Through brainstorming and storyboarding, several design concepts were proposed, focusing on “transporting readers to other locations” and “interacting with symbolic objects that reflect previously read story elements.” Multiple rounds of low-fidelity prototyping were conducted, leading to the final research prototype designed to evaluate how different visual and environmental cues affect narrative transportation. The main design variables included: (1) Google Street View vs. AI-generated panoramic images, (2) static vs. dynamically shifting imagery that conveys spatial or temporal progression, and (3) whether showing an AI-personalized book cover—based on readers’ previous responses—enhances re-entry transportation.

In the evaluation phase, four participants engaged in two sessions on different days. The first session compared the effects of Real vs. AI-generated images and Static vs. Dynamic transitions. The second session evaluated whether an AI-personalized book cover, generated from the participant’s previous reading experience, enhanced transportation upon re-entry. Results showed that AI-generated imagery generally led to higher transportation scores than real street view images, as AI visuals could better match the story’s narrative content. Similarly, dynamic imagery that progressed with the narrative yielded higher immersion than static scenes. However, the personalized book cover had limited impact on re-entry immersion, as participants struggled to relate to the AI-generated symbols and found them weakly connected to the ongoing reading experience.

The findings highlight the potential of AI-enhanced visuals in immersive VR reading. When the background visually resonates with the narrative, it can significantly support transportation. At the same time, the study reveals a potential tension between AI-generated visual cues and the reader’s desire for imaginative freedom—a core motivation for fiction reading. Future research must investigate the optimal level of visual abstraction that supports immersion without undermining creative interpretation.

While the current VR prototype was relatively static, this project points to broader affordances of VR in enabling multisensory and immersive experiences. The outcomes are forward-looking, offering insights into the evolving intersections between AI, VR, and reading. In an era where attention spans are fragmented and reading motivation among younger generations is declining, immersive reading formats like VR could offer new ways to revive narrative engagement.

Future directions include exploring how reader profiles, fiction genres, and physical reading environments may affect the effectiveness of AI-supported immersive reading. This thesis contributes early groundwork toward that vision.