Subject-Matter/Problem Background
We built an XR game and experience to educate users about mental health, therapeutic techniques, empathy, and the value of social support.

Summary of Approach
The Game: We created a cooperative 2 player game, where one person is “the guide” and the other is “the traveler”. They are separated by a void and foggy mist. Through a series of mini games, the traveler and the guide must communicate to understand each other's situations and confront various emotional obstacles together.

The guide supports the traveler by sharing tools to overcome obstacles. Overcoming an obstacle transforms it into part of the bridge across the void and clears some of the fog. The obstacles are related to common psychological and psychiatric issues, and the tools provided by the guide will be informed be real therapeutic techniques. The goal is complete a set number of minigames so the traveler and the guide can cross the bridge and meet!

We use biofeedback to influence the game and psycho-physiological self regulation. For this prototype, we used heart rate and eye blink data as biofeedback to influence the game and encourage emotional and/or physiological self-regulation. We use eyeblink data because the rate of spontaneous eye blinks has been shown to be associated with dopamine release and attention to goal-driven behavior. However, other biofeedback measures could be used in future iterations and other minigames. For example, pupil dilation has been associated with noradrenaline release and cognitive effort.

Our prototype will demo one minigame, but we have conceptual designs for three games. One mini game addresses restlessness, a second anxiety, and a third negative self thoughts.

The mini-game we demo requires the guide to lead the traveler in maintaining a specific rhythm in order to focus, relax, and control their heart rate. The heart rate data will be visually represented by a beating heart floating between the traveler and the guide. Eye blink data will be used to influence the game difficulty, such that increasing focus on the rhythm task will make the task easier. This is intended to encourage and reward calm, focused, goal driven behavior in a potentially stressful situation.

XR Platform
Two Magic Leap 2s

Project Presentation
Forthcoming

References
Forthcoming

Full Credits for all Team Members and Contributors
Dailyn Despradel Rumaldo, Hsing Wei, Lucas Wozniak, Michael Lurz, Sounak Ghosh, Anna Shabayev, Brandon K. Ashinoff