Calmscape VR
- Role:
- Research, Spatial Design and Prototyper
Overview
A VR Stress Reduction App that combines virtual reality with the ancient practice of yoga to offer users a transformative experience in relaxation and mental rejuvenation
Tools
Unity, Figma, Motion Builder,
Motion Capture, Maya
Year
2024
Ideation
The concept for CalmScape was born from recognizing the growing need for effective stress management solutions.
As students navigating tight deadlines, final submissions, and project completions, we often found ourselves overwhelmed by stress. I realized that many people, like us, could benefit from a quick, accessible way to relax and manage stress without leaving their studies or workspaces.
Research
Medical research estimates that up to 90% of illness and disease is related to stress. It's known that stress can interfere with your physical and bodily processes
Target Audience
Mindfulness & Relaxation
Mindfulness activities such as yoga that help clear the mind and refocus attention, reducing anxiety and improving mental clarity.
Immersive Environments
People often find relief in calm, serene environments that offer a break from their daily surroundings, which VR apps like CalmScape can simulate effectively.
Personalization
Content tailored to individual stress levels and preferences.
Physical Movement
Gentle exercises like yoga that release tension.
Ease of Use
Simple navigation and controls to reduce friction.
Understanding their needs and preferences
Purpose
Studies suggest that Immersive VR can reduce psychological stress, and it is perceived by young adults as a useful and time-effective strategy to reduce psychological stress.
Our app offers serene virtual worlds, providing users with the ideal atmosphere to ease stress & promote relaxation
App Features
Design
We began by choosing the name Calmscape for the app, blending the words "calm" and "landscape" to evoke a sense of serene environments.
From there, I was in charge of designing a logo that reflects this theme, focusing on creating a peaceful and inviting aesthetic that aligns with the app's purpose of stress reduction and wellness.
Logo Process
UI Design
Figma
I created and prototyped the home screen UI, focusing on a user-friendly and visually calming interface. For the MVP, we planned two distinct worlds with two yoga sessions, keeping additional features for future development. Once the design was finalized, I integrated it into Unity, ensuring seamless interactions and an intuitive user experience.
Spatial Design
Unity
We chose to move away from realistic immersion, as it reflects what people encounter in their daily lives. Instead, we created two distinct virtual worlds for our MVP. I designed a serene environment called Pinescape, offering an experience deeply connected to nature.
User testing
I did a round of user testing with 3 students from Teesside University who had little experience in VR. This test was to make sure this app helps them to reduce there stress
What did I learn?
After speaking with the users following the experience, I learned that they felt fully immersed, experienced a sense of calm, and were able to successfully complete the 5-minute yoga session.
A major comment from one user was to show a timer on the screen and a pause button to pause the yoga session.
Other users like the environment very well, and she mentioned she likes to walk through it, but due to the limited space she was not able to walk.
Future Improvements
Implementing Wrist Menu
We plan to add a wrist menu for the user, allowing them to easily pause the session and resume it at their convenience. The wrist menu will also include a timer, as well as buttons to quit or restart the session.
Adding Locomotion
Since we opted for virtual hands instead of controllers to provide a more realistic experience, we initially did not include locomotion. Now, we plan to incorporate movement locomotion using hand gestures.
Adding Virtual Worlds
For our MVP prototype, we initially included only two virtual worlds. We now plan to expand the prototype by adding three more virtual worlds, introducing interactive activities, and enhancing the realism of motion capture.
The Results
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