Insight Realm
Insight Realm is an immersive XR experience that manifests a sophisticated embodied and spatial cognition framework through interactive storytelling. Grounded in a "research-through-design" methodology, the project introduces the concept of the "Perception Box"—a metaphorical and digital sanctuary where users encounter their internal cognitive biases as tangible, spatial elements.
The core interaction revolves around a system-oriented design where users inhabit a "Metaphorical Island." By engaging in somatically anchored rituals—such as the rhythmic clearing of symbolic weeds—users participate in the physical deconstruction of negative cognitive loops. This process utilizes the PEB (Perception, Emotion, Behavior) as a dynamic triad to bridge the gap between phenomenological perception and computational feedback, transforming abstract mental blockages into a lived experience of liberation.
Ultimately, Insight Realm moves beyond traditional immersive art to function as a metacognitive tool. It demonstrates how sensory-based spatial schemas can reconfigure the internal self, strengthening human agency and fostering emotional resilience within synthetic environments.
︎ Research ︎︎︎ Publication & Talk
This work represents the evolution of a long-term inquiry into architecting human perception and mediated environment originating from the research-through-design thesis, Selfulness (2022), and other projects, at Parsons MFA Design and Technology.
Copyright © 2026 Binna Lee & Team Echo. All Rights Reserved.
Keynote at Immersive Acts Symposium︎︎︎Disrupting the Frame by Otherwise Narratives
Track 3: Immersive Innovation Design: Bodies, Sensors, and New Narratives
03.2026
NEWVIEW 2024, Styly
Linkedin Post by Styly︎︎︎
Oct 20–Dec 16 2024
XR Spatial Computing, HCI, Spatial Storytelling
Target Device: Apple Vision Pro (visionOS)
Distribution Platform: STYLY App for Vision Pro
Limitation: Visual Scripting only availble and visual effects
Development Engine: Unity
Other Tools:
Blender, Figma
Binna Lee, Director:
End to End Design
Research through Design, XR interaction design, Creative Writing (storytelling) stage design, 3D art, Unity
End to End Design
Research through Design, XR interaction design, Creative Writing (storytelling) stage design, 3D art, Unity
I Thank Danel Cano for his valuable advice/consultation
Daniel Cano: Co-researcher in Therapy Methods and Cognitive Therapy | MS Psychology, Queens College
Daniel Cano: Co-researcher in Therapy Methods and Cognitive Therapy | MS Psychology, Queens College
Roy Yang, Product Designer Unity, Game/Interaction Design
Siyuan Fu, MFA Design and Technology: Visual Scripting in Unity
Owen Chan, BFA Design and Technology: 3D Design Assistance
Questions
Why is it difficult to recognize cognitive biases shaped by external influences? Our perception, guided by these biases, fundamentally dictates how we interpret the world. As this is an integral yet intangible process, how can we transform this invisible mechanism into a tangible experience? How might such an experience help individuals understand the importance of their self-perception and provide metaphorical contexts for exploring how their perceptions are formed?
Purpose of the Project:
To create an experiential journey that reveals the neuropsychological underpinnings of perception and cognitive biases, enabling individuals to engage with the invisible processes shaping their worldview. By making these phenomena tangible and interactive, the project aims to foster deeper self-awareness and challenge ingrained biases, ultimately encouraging shifts in how people perceive themselves and their surroundings.
Programming
The experience employs dynamic storytelling and guided prompts to ignite curiosity about the evolving environment, enabling users to actively influence and observe transformations in their surroundings, their sense of self, and their perceptions. These interactions offer a third-person perspective, uncovering the hidden cognitive and developmental processes that shape human understanding over time.
Designed with neuropsychological principles at its core, the gamified mechanics mirror the dynamic interplay of thought, emotion, and behavior. By revealing how perception evolves—both positively and negatively—users gain empowering insights into how they can reshape their perspectives and navigate the complexities of reality with greater self-awareness.
Experience Flow
Preprogramming
Users discover the foundational layers of perception shaped by early influences.
Cognitive Biases
Explore how biases, such as negativity and confirmation bias, strengthen habitual thought patterns.
Reinforcing Perception
Engage with scenarios that showcase the brain’s adaptability and potential to reshape perceptions.
The Potential for Change
Conclude with insights on how users can actively reshape their “perception box,” fostering a more flexible and adaptive mindset.