An immersive virtual reality experience called "Sonic Mind" aims to support users in developing a more focused and mindful state of awareness. The program leads users through a series of mindfulness exercises and auditory adventures by seamlessly fusing spatial audio technology with peaceful virtual landscapes. The goal is to use 3D sound (spatial audio) to stimulate the senses and encourage inner peace while teaching the mind to remain focused and aware in the face of a world full of sensory inputs.
This study investigates the effects on cognitive well-being of immersive VR experiences enhanced with spatial audio and minimalist visuals. The study explores how sensory stimuli affect cognitive processes like attention, memory, and problem-solving skills by adjusting mood states within virtual reality environments. This collaborative research intends to expand our understanding of how immersive experiences can improve human performance and increase cognitive well-being by utilizing insights from cognitive psychology and VR technology. The project aims to clarify the mechanisms behind the association between sensory immersion and cognitive performance using controlled experimental designs and cognitive assessments, providing insightful information with potential applications in education, healthcare, and other fields.
The prototype was built in Unreal Engine 5.3 and uses Meta SDK for tracking, haptics and Spatial Audio. The user is presented with 3 different experiences to choose from - Calm, Focus and Energize. The user can select the experience by clicking on the respective button. Once the experience is selected, the user is transported to a virtual environment where they go through the experience. The user can also choose to exit the experience and go back to the home screen by clicking on A/B/X/Y buttons on the controller. The experience is designed to be minimalistic and immersive to help the user focus on the experience. The minimalistic design is intentional to reduce cognitive load on the user and help them focus on the experience.
For future work, I want to investigate in more detail the precise processes by which various VR mood settings affect cognitive performance. This would entail carrying out longer cognitive tests in order to capture a wider variety of cognitive functions impacted by mood regulation. Furthermore, investigating individual variances in reaction to virtual reality mood manipulation may yield important information for customized interventions catered to certain cognitive profiles. Furthermore, examining how immersive virtual reality experiences affect cognitive wellbeing over an extended period of time may provide insight into the long-term viability and effectiveness of VR-based therapy. Moreover, the incorporation of biofeedback techniques in virtual reality environments to dynamically modify mood settings according to physiological signs may present novel strategies for enhancing cognitive function and overall wellbeing.