Taxpayer Fury pays £44,000 to create virtual sea creature to help stressed-out office workers calm down

TAXPAYERS spend £44,000 on project to create virtual reality sea creature for stressed office workers.

The money went to tech bosses who say their program is more calming than morphine.

1

The Quango Innovate UK government awarded the grant to London-based company Animorph to develop its Easel programme.

His headset allows office workers to relax by immersing themselves in a simulated seabed environment where they can pet and feed a pretend sea creature.

The company says, “Easel reduces stress by transporting the player to a distant, safe underwater world where they can nurture a nurturing relationship with an alien sea creature.”

“The player’s ability to roam freely and initiate rich interactions within the soothing and audiovisually enchanting world provides a reassuring sense of control.

“The player uses gaze and hand gestures to navigate the ocean and interacts with their sea animal companion in a variety of ways, including feeding, playing, and cleaning up their environment.

“VR has been documented to be tremendously beneficial, even surpassing the effectiveness of morphine for pain relief.”

A further £50,000 was donated to another London-based company, Awen Emotions, for a similar idea to help stressed schoolchildren.

Conor Holohan of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “Taxpayers will ask why they are funding this bizarre project.

“As the long tentacles of the state collect more and more taxes, now more than ever precious funds should be put to good use.

“Time for ministers to get a handle on spending.”