XR Stories interns commended at Immerse UK awards

Two XR Stories interns were commended for their work at the inaugural Immerse UK awards, a competition for UK students building innovative experiences or projects for the XR industry.

Edmund Wei won Best UX and UI Design for his project to create an accessible and engaging all-in-one experience for the National Railway Museum using the latest web-based technologies. As part of his prize, Edmund was also selected for an internship role with Edify.

Edmund gained valuable experience working in the cultural sector as part of his internship role at XR Stories. With support and guidance from the XR Stories team, Edmund worked closely with the York Civic Trust to develop a prototype AR experience for visitors exploring the blue plaques around the city.

Elliot Mann was shortlisted as a finalist in the Best Overall category with his project ‘Sandboard’, a PC VR sand surfing and grappling game where players assume the role of a daredevil sandboarder. 

Under the XR Stories internship programme, Elliot worked as a Creative Technician where he learned how to use XR technologies and supported tech demos and masterclasses.

Edmund comments: “I’m thrilled to receive this award! XR Stories and York Civic Trust gave me an opportunity to explore web-based 3D and AR technologies further than I ever thought possible, which I was able to apply directly to this project.”

Elliot comments: “It’s an honour to be selected as a finalist in a UK-wide competition and especially one focused on XR projects. My time as an XR Stories intern changed the way I approach projects and the experience I gained working with the team and their industry partners to explore new technologies has contributed to the development of my ongoing projects.”

Both Elliot and Edmund are BSc Interactive Media students at the University of York. 

Published on 11 May 2023