Biometric Feedback
Ijsfontein, in collaboration with medical professionals at the Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, developed Cafe-Zondag, a virtual reality experience that allows patients to practice navigating everyday situations within a secure environment, under the guidance of a therapist. However, the use of a VR headset makes it challenging for the therapist to discern the patient's emotions. To address this issue, we designed and implemented a dashboard that monitors the patient's skin response and heartbeat, providing an accurate assessment of their emotional intensity.
We used sensors designed to be attached to an individual's fingertips, which gather two key types of data: heart rate and galvanic skin response. This information is then transmitted to the therapist's display. By analysing the patient's data, the therapist can gain deeper insights into the patient's emotional reactions to various situations, thereby enabling them to tailor the treatment approach more effectively.
Through our interviews with therapists, we found that patients frequently lack awareness of their own depression and struggle to comprehend their emotions. A commonly employed technique, known as mirroring, assists in this process. By reflecting the patients' feelings back to them, they become more likely to recognise their depression and take the necessary steps towards self-help and recovery.
We conducted a series of surveys inquiring about individuals' emotions during episodes of depression. Utilising the collected data, we designed an array of creatures that encapsulated these sentiments. Subsequently, we administered additional polls featuring these creatures and iterated this process multiple times. Ultimately, we developed a creature that embodied the essence of depression.
The creature was then constructed in 3D and outfitted with a rigging system, allowing for various animations to be played in response to the data collected from the sensors.
Ijsfontein, in collaboration with medical professionals at the Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group, developed Cafe-Zondag, a virtual reality experience that allows patients to practice navigating everyday situations within a secure environment, under the guidance of a therapist. However, the use of a VR headset makes it challenging for the therapist to discern the patient's emotions. To address this issue, we designed and implemented a dashboard that monitors the patient's skin response and heartbeat, providing an accurate assessment of their emotional intensity.