When natural disasters strike, they shatter lives, disrupt routines and loosen the emotional ties people have with the places they call home. For the Italian towns of Amatrice and Accumoli, devastated by a 6.2 earthquake in 2016, the damage extended far beyond bricks and mortar. Streets vanished. Landmarks were reduced to rubble. The past seemed to disappear while the future became very uncertain.
But what if technology could offer a way to reconnect with what was lost and reflect on the future of the place?
Recent research my colleagues and I conducted explores how virtual reality (VR) can help communities recover emotionally, socially and culturally after a disaster.
