BreathSync
A research-backed VR biofeedback experience that teaches deep belly breathing practice to promote mindfulness and reduce stress. This immersive application combines Unity development, biofeedback technology, and game design principles to create an effective therapeutic tool.
Project Overview
A seated VR biofeedback experience that teaches, visualizes, and encourages deep belly breathing to promote mindfulness and reduce stress.
Interact with your environment by using deep breathing techniques to calm your mind. As you breathe deeply, your breath will gradually reveal new aspects of the virtual environment. Sync your breathing to the environment and see what you find! This prototype was developed in 48 hours for the 2021 XR Brain Jam hosted by Games for Change with the prompt "Promoting Positive Mental Health." The project won the laurel for "Best Research Application."
My role:
- Producer – I was responsible for making sure our team (researcher, designer, developer) stayed on track and coordinated to meet milestones.
- Developer/Designer – Devised a real-time physiological monitoring method by strapping the VR controller to the user's belly to provide immediate feedback on breathing patterns.
- Shader & 3D Artist – Engaging visual and interactive elements that make mindfulness practice accessible and enjoyable.
Technical Implementation
In our current prototype, we teach you a breathing technique called "box breathing". It is a hypoxic breathing technique that helps oxygenate your blood and reduce carbon dioxide poisoning, which is a cause and symptom of stressed, shallow breathing. In the future, this application can be customized further to incorporate variety of breathing techniques and environments, and can also be implemented in clinical settings with the supervision of certified therapists to help patients reduce anxiety.
Research & Impact
BreathSync is grounded in scientific research on the benefits of deep breathing and mindfulness practices. The application has been designed with input from healthcare professionals to ensure its therapeutic effectiveness.
The project demonstrates the potential of VR technology to make mental health and wellness practices more accessible, engaging, and effective for users of all experience levels.