Through Someone Else's Eyes: Lifelogging Meets Narrative Virtual Reality

This paper presents a novel approach to lifelogging by transforming it into a narrative-driven Virtual Reality (VR) experience that we call SLIVeR (Someone else's Lifelog in Virtual Reality). The system situates users in an immersive, emotionally charged environment where they explore lifelog video fragments as part of a memory recovery narrative. Users begin disoriented, responding to existential prompts such as 'Who am I?' and 'What was the last thing I did?' - each unlocking cinematic scenes that reconstruct a car accident central to the character's identity loss. The experience transitions into a metaphorical space representing the fragmented mind, where users interact with floating lifelog questions organised by theme (e.g., relationships, movement, work). These interactions simulate a lifelog search interface embedded within a story arc, encouraging reflection and engagement. To evaluate SLIVeR, we conducted a mixed-methods study with 30 participants, analysing engagement using the User Engagement Scale (UES) and thematic reflection questions. Results showed that narrative coherence, visual interactivity, and identity-driven content enhanced user engagement. Social and emotionally resonant question types were rated as more meaningful than routine-based ones. This work demonstrates how VR, narrative framing, and lifelog data can be fused into a reflective, game-like experience that deepens both interaction and emotional connection.