Nuclear Waste Forecast System
Nuclear Waste Forecast System (NWFS) a speculative project, providing a multisensory VR experience in the backdrop of Fukushima nuclear wastewater impacts, highlighting the divergence between human and AI perceptions.
Aims of the project：
To create a visualization and experience method that allows imagining the future scene in the background of the Fukushima nuclear waste water release in 2023, sparking public thinking to such practices.
To show the gap between people’s perception of the future and AI’s visualization limitation, thereby raising awareness about the potential risks and difference in our understanding of ecological impacts from nuclear waste water.
Gallery
Speculative Fake News
Virtual Reality Prototype
Scene Generation Prototype
Panorama Depth Estimation
Research
Start Point
On August 24, 2023, nuclear waste water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was continuously discharged into the Pacific Ocean, which is projected to last for 30 years.
Forecast from SIGS Institute for Ocean Engineering
60 days: Nuclear waste affects East Japan and central Pacific.
120 days: Spreads to western/central Pacific, impacting China coasts.
240 days: Reaches U.S. coasts; contaminants reduce but still risky.
360 days: Covers most Pacific and Indian Oceans; marine life impacted. Mutation or extinction may occur.
1200 days: Spreads globally; near-background contaminant levels.
2400 days: Affects almost all oceans; contaminants stabilize.
3600 days: Partly integrated into oceans.
Public Voices
Though the effluent is claimed to be “treated”, the consequence of the release could still be devastating, as the scientific analysis data of the effluent is not transparent and the impact has yet to be tested.
Investigation From Costal Citizens
To dig further on the release influences, I attempted to contact professors of nuclear and oceanography as well as coastal citizens, also found valuable information in scientific papers and documentaries.
Paper & Documentary
