Immersive technologies are increasingly acknowledged as powerful tools in sustainability education, capable of fostering deeper engagement and emotional resonance. This study investigates the potential of 360° VR storytelling to enhance learning through embodied knowledge, attitudinal change, and emotional awareness. Conducted within the EMOTIONAL project, the research explores a first-person narrative told from the perspective of a ceramic object rooted in Italian cultural heritage, designed to facilitate meaningful, affective learning. A hybrid assessment framework was developed and validated, combining subjective self-report tools (including attitudinal scales, semantic differential analysis, and engagement metrics) with objective physiological measures, specifically Electrodermal Activity (EDA). Sixty participants, including students and entrepreneurs, experienced the immersive narrative, and a subset underwent biometric tracking to evaluate the effectiveness of the experience. Findings show that immersive storytelling can effectively enhance emotional and cognitive engagement, producing shifts in semantic interpretation, self-perceived knowledge, and attitudes toward material culture. A convergence of high emotional engagement, embodied learning, and technology acceptance was observed, although individual differences emerged based on prior experience and disciplinary background. EDA data offered complementary insights, identifying specific moments of heightened arousal during the narrative. The study demonstrates that emotionally driven immersive narratives (supported by integrated assessment methods) can make abstract sustainability values more tangible and personally resonant, thereby fostering more reflective and relational approaches to sustainable consumption and production.

Immersive technologies are increasingly acknowledged as powerful tools in sustainability education, capable of fostering deeper engagement and emotional resonance. This study investigates the potential of 360° VR storytelling to enhance learning through embodied knowledge, attitudinal change, and emotional awareness. Conducted within the EMOTIONAL project, the research explores a first-person narrative told from the perspective of a ceramic object rooted in Italian cultural heritage, designed to facilitate meaningful, affective learning. The present study addresses the following research questions: RQ1 Can 360° VR story-living narrations effectively promote embodied learning and semantic and attitudinal shifts in the context of sustainability education? RQ2 What added insights can be gained from integrating subjective assessments with physiological measures? To this end, a hybrid assessment framework was developed and validated, combining subjective self-report tools (including attitudinal scales, semantic differential analysis, and engagement metrics) with objective physiological measures, specifically Electrodermal Activity (EDA). Sixty participants, including students and entrepreneurs, experienced the immersive narrative, and a subset underwent physiological tracking to evaluate the effectiveness of the experience. The findings show that immersive storytelling can enhance emotional and cognitive engagement, producing shifts in semantic interpretation, self-perceived knowledge, and attitudes toward material culture. A convergence of high emotional engagement, embodied learning, and technology acceptance was observed, although individual differences emerged based on prior experience and disciplinary background. EDA data offered complementary insights, identifying specific moments of heightened arousal during the narrative. The study demonstrates that emotionally driven immersive narratives (supported by integrated assessment methods) can make abstract sustainability values more tangible and personally resonant, thereby fostering more reflective and relational approaches to sustainable consumption and production.

The increasing digitalization of the construction industry, driven by Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the rise of digital twins, necessitates a holistic approach to worker well-being. Understanding how digital tools and processes, including BIM-based workflows and digital twin applications, impact the psychological and physiological states of construction workers is crucial for improving safety, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. This study integrates construction practices and neuroscience by systematically reviewing quantitative parameters and tools for assessing worker well-being within various digital construction workflows, with a specific focus on BIM and digital twin applications. We identify key stress detection parameters (e.g., EDA, HRV) and tools from medical research applicable to construction management for enhancing worker well-being and mitigating risks. A comprehensive literature review synthesizes findings from multiple disciplines, focusing on stress detection techniques and their application in optimizing digital construction processes, specifically within BIM-driven projects and the development and utilization of digital twins. Results highlight stress detection parameters and tools offering valuable insights into worker experience, emphasizing the need for both qualitative and quantitative measures in project management, particularly within the context of BIM and digital twin technologies. A holistic, interdisciplinary approach merging ergonomics, neuroscience, and construction methodologies is crucial for enhancing worker experience in increasingly digitalized construction environments. Integrating stress detection technologies into construction management processes, especially those leveraging BIM and digital twins, is essential for promoting worker well-being and safety, while acknowledging limitations in current systematic research. Future exploration includes developing human-centered digital tools within BIM and digital twin workflows and applying medical findings to improve construction workflows. This research aims to inspire construction professionals to prioritize worker well-being and adapt their methodologies to address the unique challenges of digital transformation in the industry, leveraging the potential of BIM and digital twins to create safer and more productive work environments.

As never before, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of the digital design strategies on the user’s well-being has been questioned. However, a research branch astride digital design and neuroscience able to overcome net discipline borders to analyse users’ well-being seems to be lacking. Today mainly qualitative data are used in the design field for the investigation of users’ quality experience. Although fundamental, they also have great disadvantages such as unanswered questions, unconscientious responses, and respondents’ biases. As such, a systematic state of art review is presented to find methodologies and tools currently used in medicine to identify the impact of digital design strategies (XR) on users’ well-being through quantitative and objective data. The main technologies used for this purpose have been synthesized in a schematic chart by reporting the principal related biometric data (skin conductivity, heart rate metrics and breathing rates), as well as other technologies such as video/images/audio analysis based on sensors and machine learning to reach out mass numbers. In conclusion, gaps and future applications of this innovative approach within the virtual environment have been identified by the authors

In an increasingly technology‐driven world, this study examined how communication design students can critically and creatively master advanced digital tools to craft immersive storytelling experiences, drawing upon an ‘analogue’ mindset. While immersive experiences are often associated with XR technologies, true immersion transcends the medium: it involves fostering a profound sense of engagement, presence and embodiment that shifts the user's perspective. In this context, theatre, with its empathetic and deconstructive nature, provides valuable insights by fostering emotionally rich, analogue experiences that deepen students' understanding of immersive storytelling. This study presented an educational experiment conducted within a communication design seminar, where students participated in a blended theatrical storytelling exercise. By fully immersing themselves in this experience, they unlocked their imagination and developed a deeper understanding of how emotional and sensory involvement can elevate storytelling design, regardless of the use of advanced technologies. Acting as audience members allowed future communication designers to grasp the engaging potential of these encounters, enriching their ability to create compelling, emotionally resonant narratives. The methodology, while not without challenges, was highly appreciated, demonstrating the powerful synergy between advanced digital design and performative arts. This approach introduced a new paradigm in experience design, offering future creators innovative pathways to redefine storytelling boundaries and craft meaningful, human‐centred interactions.