VR empathy proved a hollow gesture as social, economic, and ecological systems collapsed. Explore 'Zalog Budućnosti,' a community-driven response to the failure of remote VR labor. Salvaged robotic parts, combined with open-source interfaces, form a network for sharing survival skills and mutual aid. Inspired by Montenegrin *mobas*, users learn to repair, build, and connect. The project's immersive interface, influenced by surrealist art, uses interactive storytelling, branching narratives, and character dialogues. This blend, along with elements of historical storytelling, adds folklore, urging critical reflection on our dependence on fragile systems.
The globalized VR-robotics labor system has collapsed, leaving widespread unemployment and resource scarcity. However, in rural Montenegro, tight-knit communities demonstrate remarkable adaptability. They repurpose, reuse, create and innovate together, exchanging skills, building sharing economies and co existing. They've rejected dependence on failing centralized structures, embracing a hyperlocal existence guided by traditional practices and powered by salvaged technology. Discarded robotic components are valued resources, and open-source knowledge forms the bedrock of their new, resilient society, blending the modern and the anicent, reflecting Montenegrin life pre-digital. Scarcity is countered with close communal living and a fierce independent spirit.
This project highlights our reliance on fragile technological systems. It shows the human and economic cost of failed tech utopias. It should remind the viewer that current systems are vulernable, and proactivity is needed. Viewers should question the long-term consequences of unchecked technological dependence.
Milić, a Montenegrin demiboy designer, draws from surrealism, athletic training, and space exploration. Their work is deeply rooted in Montenegrin folklore, particularly tales of defiance and close-knit communities. For 'Zalog Budućnosti,' Milić extensively researched the socio-economic effects of technological collapse. Combined with dream-like visuals, and meticulous scripting the backbone of the projects approach, this historical foundation is synthesized with elements of surrealist art. The project uses the Montenegrin concept of *moba*—communal work gatherings—to highlight how salvaged robotic technology, enhanced by a VR interface, can foster community resilience and resource sharing.
More about Milić_7360
2024: Global expansion of VR-robotics for remote work in hazardous environments.
2025: Growing dependence on VR-robotics creates economic vulnerability in marginalized communities.
2026: First major supply chain disruptions impact the availability of robotic components.
2027: Widespread system failures of VR-robotics infrastructure triggered by cascade failure.
2028: Communities in Montenegro begin salvaging robotic parts and developing open-source alternatives.
Milić_7360 considered the following imagined future scenarios while working on this project
Milić_7360 considered the following hypothetical product ideas while working on this project