stack of books in home interior
Ambient literature uses technology for an immersive experience (Picture: Getty)

With tablets, smart phones and technology of all kinds dominating how we consume media, it was only a matter of time before the humble book had to up its game.

Ambient literature is a new style of reading, which uses electronic devices to give the reader a personalised immersive experience. You know that feeling when you get really into a story? Well this takes that feeling to the next level.

Using data from your smartphone such as weather, location and time, the programme interacts with the reader to tell the narrative in a unique and individualised way. No two stories will ever be the same experience.

The technology enables the narrative to sync to the reader’s surroundings. So if it’s raining in real life, it will start raining in the story, if you’re sitting in a cafe, the action will take place in a cafe.

The creators say the aim is to put the reader at the very heart of the story, rather than having to imagine a fictional landscape.

What is 'ambient literature?'

Ambient literature can be defined as a style of literature read on a mobile electronic device which uses data about location, weather, time, etc. to personalise the reading experience.

The Bookseller refers to the genre as, ‘a revolution of form and content with many shapes and names and an increasing number of readers.’

But what say the reading purists? Those who recoil from the mere sight of a Kindle and love nothing more than the smell of a dusty library book. Is ambient literature too far removed from the real pleasures of reading?

Ambient Literature event, London. 30 June 2016.
The genre syncs your surroundings with the narrative (Picture: SWNS)

The initial creators of the genre think that to preserve literature in the digital age, it is crucial to move it forward and appeal to younger, digital-native readers.

‘We aim to show how we can redefine the rules of the reading experience through the use of technology,’ says project leader Dr. Tom Abba.

‘Our intention is to develop a whole new writing technique, specifically for this space, which is essentially a new literary genre,’ he continues, ‘It’s a new arena with lots of potential, and a very exciting project to be embarking on.’

The new concept was formed as part of a collaborative research project between the universities of Bath Spa, Birmingham and the West of England. The academies worked together over two years, with the aim of exploring the relationship between technology and story-telling.

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