THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPACT OF DELIVERING A MIND-BODY INTERVENTION IN A VIRTUAL WORLD
The popularity of the 3D virtual world, SecondLife, has come and gone, but during its heyday communities of users employed the platform for legitimate health related information exchange. I was part of a small group of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital who evaluated the technology as a means of delivering future telemedical solutions.
Sunsets in a virtual world created for patient care 2008 - 2009
Users could communicate to others in the class by triggering custom animations
Live classes for patients were hosted on a virtual island.
DESCRIPTION
Mind-body medical approaches may ameliorate chronic disease. Stress reduction is particularly helpful, but face-to-face delivery systems cannot reach all those who might benefit. An online, 3D virtual world may be able to support the rich interpersonal interactions required of this approach. In this pilot study, we explore the feasibility of translating a face-to-face stress reduction program into an online virtual setting and estimate the effect size of the intervention.
Full Publication Available on PLOS
A labyrinth for virtual meditation walks.
Patients participating in guided meditation in a virtual world
Role
Product Design
Researcher
Programming and animation as part of a 2 person team
3rd Author
6 Person Team
Presenter (MIT and at Games for Health Virtual World and Health Day ’09 in conjunction with PI. And presented individually at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in March ’09)
Conducted all entrance and exit interviews.
The virtual island had medical resources and private spots for reflection.
Poster for the American Medical Informatics Association
American Medical Informatics Association
As a young Research Analyst on this project, I was given the rare opportunity to author and present an American Medical Informatics Association ‘08 poster on adapting an existing medical program to a virtual world.
Animations, recordings, and surveys were imbedded in objects users would discover around the virtual island.
Exploring the mind body effects of virtual yoga with users who've developed deep connections with their avatar.