Mindful ChuChu

This was a 5-week student research project we worked on at Business Academy Aarhus, Denmark.

The Idea
The target audience for this experience is Generation Z, who are experiencing much more stress than any previous generation. Through our research, we found that Gen Z uses various ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos on YouTube to relax. This prompted us to utilize ASMR in virtual reality and create an experience that people can use to relax from everyday stress and struggles.

The Goal
The main goal of this research project was to create a prototype of a VR experience that can make ASMR more interactive and immersive through the use of virtual reality headsets, directional audio, and haptic feedback from the controllers.

The Process
Throughout our design process, we used the basics of storytelling, game design, and audio design.

Narration was used to create a relatable narrative that players could follow throughout the experience (like guided meditation). In the second scene, we implemented basic game design principles to give players a simple goal and something to strive for. Lastly, we focused on audio design to create an immersive experience with an ambient background soundtrack and directional audio to achieve ASMR.

The prototype was tested with six representatives of the target group. During testing, we used the triangulation method, which included observations, surveys, and interviews. However, more testing on a much larger sample size would be needed in the future to increase the credibility and validity of the research findings.

The Outcome
Although the final prototype does not fully align with our group's vision for the ultimate experience, it meets the primary goal set at the beginning of the project.

Our concept was designed to lay the foundation for further development or expansion of the VR experience. For example, the VR experience could be expanded with a sandbox mode, where players can engage with any minigames in any order and personalize their own space (e.g., forest, ocean, skies).

Credits: 

• Dominik Satke
• Krystof Marasek
• Magdalena Antonina Lisinska
• Noah Petersen

Source files (GitHub): https://github.com/krystof-marasek/SS24_Exam-MindfulChuchu

Full report: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:3ba9bd1e-b102-407d-9360-a5f2e74913fb