A custom controller measures diaphragm expansion in order to sense deep breathing. This information is fed back to the player in a variety of visual cues, intimately linking their consciousness and breath.
The environment's layout gently encourages the player to slow their breath, to sink deeper and relax. It can be played for therapeutic or aesthetic reasons, and does not require the use of arms, legs or hands.
Ben Kuchera - Polygon
Joanneke Weerdmeester's PhD research on DEEP was featured in Omroep Gelderland (with subtitles)
GEMH-lab will be at INDIGO 2017 to showcase the amazing VR game DEEP, so come and say hi!
This month we focus on the connection between mind and body and we will discuss whether video games can help us listen to our body and practice techniques that change our body activity in a way that makes us feel better.
On November 21st, 2021 GEMH-lab's own Joanneke publicly defended her thesis entitled: "Take a DEEP Breath: Exploring the Potential of Game-based Biofeedback Interventions for Anxiety Regulation". In this blog you can find a link to her doctoral thesis as well as a link to the recorded livestream of the defense.
Joanneke Weerdmeester's PhD research on DEEP was featured in Omroep Gelderland (with subtitles)
RTL Z shortly stopped by our booth at INDIGO where we were showing DEEP, which resulted in a brief feature on the Dutch news of 17:30 on July 6th, 2017
GEMH-lab will be at INDIGO 2017 to showcase the amazing VR game DEEP, so come and say hi!
During the online edition of the Waterkant Festival, Joanneke Weerdmeester (GEMH Lab) & Owen Harris (Explore DEEP) gave a joint talk on using interactive technology such as games and VR to improve our well-being. Check it out!
Last week, my colleague Marieke van Rooij and myself ran and managed a study in the midst of Cinekid’s Medialab. This project turned out to be more ambitious than we had anticipated, but I think we pulled it off quite well. That said, I think a moment of reflection is warranted to go over all the choices and good fortune which facilitated our project’s success. All the materials mentioned here are available for download.
On June 8th our research with DEEP was featured in a great article in the Wallstreet Journal which discussed the promise of combining wearable biosensors with virtual reality and game design to create a new wave of more engaging and potentially more affordable and accessible forms of biofeedback training. In this blog we shortly outline our research with DEEP as well as other biofeedback video games.
Our new open access viewpoint paper "An Integrative Model for the Effectiveness of Biofeedback Interventions for Anxiety Regulation" is online! With this paper we aimed to encourage a new phase of biofeedback research and implementation
GEMH Lab's Joanneke Weerdmeester was interviewed by the local radio RN7 to talk about her research with DEEP
Prof dr. Isabela Granic and Owen Harris (DEEP director) spoke at the Unity for Humanity summit about how the VR biofeedback game DEEP merges art and science to soothe players’ anxiety. Watch the 10-min video where Isabel and Owen outline the design and research of DEEP.
The Radboud University featured a short video where Dr. Joanneke Weerdmeester talks about her doctoral research around biofeedback games and anxiety regulation.
Dr. Joanneke Weerdmeester and game designer Niki Smit were interviewed by national Dutch newspaper NRC to talk about the development and research behind DEEP; a VR biofeedback game designed to help alleviate anxiety. The interview was featured in 2-page spread in the physical newspaper as well as in an online article.
On November 21st, 2021 GEMH-lab's own Joanneke publicly defended her thesis entitled: "Take a DEEP Breath: Exploring the Potential of Game-based Biofeedback Interventions for Anxiety Regulation". In this blog you can find a link to her doctoral thesis as well as a link to the recorded livestream of the defense.
Imagine you could snap your fingers and immediately be transported to a beautiful, serene world that responds to your stress with soothing resonance.
One of the coolest things about observing people when they play a game, especially when you get to observe them for an extended period of time, is witnessing the moment when someone becomes truly immersed in the game environment, when they truly connect with it, when something just 'clicks'...
Our research on the efficacy of the game DEEP has been nominated for the Klokhuis Science prize 2020! Klokhuis is a well-known educational TV show for children in the Netherlands and the winner will be featured in one of their episodes. Votes are open until November 13th. Please vote for us!
Just a collection of shots I took of people playing DEEP.
Owen Harris is a game designer, VR designer and lover of all things playful. When not working on DEEP, he designs games and VR experiences for the University of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK, Gambrinous and others.
Niki Smit is co-founder of Monobanda PLAY, a Utrecht based game company that develops playful interactive experiences. He is a game designer and artist.