The investment of billions of dollars over the past few decades in mass vaccination efforts has made polio nearly nonexistent. However, in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there are cases of wild polio. Other countries including Africa are also affected by variants of the disease.
If not fully eradicated, over 200,000 new cases could re-emerge annually within a decade, according to Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
To bring light on this topic, top leaders at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have looked for new and fresh messaging platforms. The foundation is a non-profit partner of the GPEI, which was founded by Bill Gates and his former wife and businesswoman, Melinda.
In previous years, the foundation would have funded trips for potential donors and politicians to witness the effects of polio around the globe. However, strategies have shifted and finding a way for potential donors to have a frontline experience was needed.
Here, a Minnesota company’s technology would be the tool to execute the vision.
In early 2023, the creative staff at a St. Louis Park-based immersive and virtual reality development and experiences company, REM5 Studios, began conversations with staff of the foundation. They found out that, with this new technology, they could virtually transport people into an immersive experience and regain support to eradicate polio.
Compared to commercials or power point pamphlets, such immersive experiences could bring feelings of empathy and create action.
After getting a grant funding and permission from the government officials in Zambia, REM5 creatives spent days filming content to create an immersive and augmented reality video, “Polio’s Last Mile”.
The film ends with a message from Bill Gates, sharing why people should contribute to the cause. Polio has reduced by 99% worldwide, with the last mile referring to all the health officials, government, and philanthropic organizations being near to completely eradicating the virus, said Amber Zeddies.
The senior officer added, “People have forgotten about polio because it is gone in most places.”
The video, “Polio’s Last Mile” was shown to 1,500 people using VR headsets over a five-day period at a Rotary International conference in Singapore this year. This incredible feat marks it as one of the largest VR activations in the world. By now, nearly 4,000 people have watched the film wearing a VR headset.
In 2023, the launch of the new Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro allowed leaders to create value for VR technology at a scale. REM5 used the technology to work on other projects such as a behind-the-scenes of how cheese is made for a food production company.
According to the VR development company leaders, they aren’t replacing traditional storytelling platforms. It’s just another extension to storytelling.