Read the interview with Natasja Paulssen and her winning proposal: Real-time HYbrid Test for Harmonic Music (RHTYHM)

Natasja Paulssen and Dutch Rose Media

Natasja Paulssen is the founder and creative director of Dutch Rose Media. Since 2011, they’ve specialised in crafting innovative Augmented Reality experiences that blend storytelling with technology to enrich the world around us.
Seven years ago, they recognised a critical gap in our field: when creating immersive digital 3D narratives, they needed authentic human representation in three dimensions—something that simply wasn’t available at the time. This challenge led them to explore volumetric video as a solution, culminating in the launch of their own volumetric capture studio in 2019.
Today, volumetric video technology forms the cornerstone of their diverse portfolio spanning living history, music, sports, fashion, and educational projects. This technology allows them to preserve the authenticity and nuance of human presence within digital environments, bringing a new dimension of engagement to their immersive storytelling experiences.

Can you give a brief overview of your winning proposal?
What are its key objectives and innovative aspects?

Within the SPIRIT program, we aim to evaluate how our live volumetric video solution compares with SPIRIT’s alternative approach of photorealistic avatars paired with motion capture. While our solution operates with a 5-10 second delay, SPIRIT delivers near real-time performance. We aim to show that the interaction provided by SPIRIT delivers enhances the overall immersiveness that people experience.

RHTYHM‘s research focuses on demonstrating that for specific communication contexts—particularly music performances—SPIRIT’s solution offers an ideal platform for innovative artistic expression. We intend to prove that the advantage of real-time interaction versus our 5-10 second delay creates a significantly enhanced experience for both performers and audiences in immersive environments.

What motivated you to apply for the SPIRIT Open Call?

As our world rapidly digitises and virtualises, we believe it’s crucial that these emerging virtual environments authentically incorporate real people in all their complexity and nuance. Our mission is to bring “soul to digital” spaces—infusing warmth and humanity into technology through targeted investment, research, and experimentation with promising innovations.

Live communication stands at the core of human connection. SPIRIT’s technology transforms this fundamental aspect of our nature, enabling meaningful real-time interactions within virtual and augmented worlds that preserve the authenticity of human presence.

How do you envision this project making an impact?

Over the past year, we collaborated with SPIRIT’s sister project, CORTEX2, to develop HYMNE—a platform where music enthusiasts can gather virtually to enjoy performances alongside friends. While HYMNE currently features recorded performances, our work with SPIRIT will expand this capability to include live concerts.

We’re planning a European festival tour to introduce audiences to our platform and technology. Following this tour, we aim to host fully online concerts in Virtual and Augmented Reality, allowing us to reach a broader audience and demonstrate how immersive interfaces can enhance musical experiences. Our ultimate goal is to inspire people to embrace immersive technologies across various applications beyond music.