Project Aria
This past year, in collaboration with Hunter Hoffman, a pioneer in VR pain management, spearheaded the exploration of Apple Vision Pro’s potential in enhancing pain relief, (e.g., distraction), and mindfulness. We called it Project Aria. Our objective was to understand if we could take advantage of the introduction of spatial computing and increased immersiveness of the Apple Vision Pro to create an experience that reduces pain and improves mental well-being. The result was a meticulously crafted immersive experience aimed at pushing the boundaries of what spatial computing can achieve in therapeutic settings.
Through subtle interactions, like touching glowing orbs and watching water ripple, users can explore a peaceful inner world, offering a unique blend of relaxation and emotional release. It’s not just about distraction; it’s about creating a space for healing, where users can find moments of tranquility and regain strength in their daily lives.
Ideation
Project Aria began with little to no direction, all we knew was were were creating a first of its kind experience for the Apple Vision Pro. How might we create an experience that is engaging, intuitive, and impressive to its users? We began exploring nature that would leave us speechless, from there we same a common theme. Water. We started exploring how we could incorporate water into an experience people would remember.
We quickly began to love the idea of taking water and making the centerpiece of the experience, not just a supporting asset. Simplicity became our main focus. How can we make this experience intuitive and awe inspiring while staying true to the impressive immersion presented by the Vision Pro? Through multiple working sessions, we started focusing on this idea of making several scenes that flow together in an endless cycle, leaving the user to get as much relaxation as they needed.
The water cycle. Focusing on the idea of combining water and an endless cycle, why not abstractly recreate the water cycle. We are 70% water, we need water to survive, water has been used in every culture for centuries for healing. It all started coming together.
We started creating 5 scenes, each one representing a different part of the water cycle. Originally, we played with many mechanic ideas, but ultimately landed on just using a simple orb that you pop throughout the entire experience, connecting each scene, and giving users something to focus on to keep them engaged. To the user's surprise and delight, the more orbs you pop the more the scene comes to life. More particles, shooting stars, beams of light... the experience becomes your own.
Evaporation
In this scene, it's all about the user and the particles rising up around them. With each orb that's popped, light beams appear where they once were, surrounding the user with light. Ribbons of bioluminescent particles flood the surface of the water, coming more to life with touch.
Condensation
In the second scene, users are surrounded by forming clouds, that gather throughout the experience. The idea is building confidence in making sense of your cloudy thoughts, so with every orb that's popped, ripples appear in the water and shooting stars begin to cover the sky. A cloudy sky becomes a clear, glowing night.
Precipitation
Giving the user time to sit with their thoughts and reflect on what they might be feeling, while washing negative thoughts away.
River
In this environment, users float down a bioluminescent river with spatialized waterfalls. As the orbs pop, more bioluminescence takes over the water. Being the most heavily inspired by Hoffman's work on SnowWorld, this is the only scene that involves movement.
Collection
In this scene, beauty is seen as ever-present, not confined to specific objects but woven into the world around us. As orbs are popped, particles are released, swirling into a radiant vortex at the lake's center. With each interaction, the entire lake pulses to a calming rhythm, a gentle reminder of the beauty that constantly surrounds us, waiting to be discovered and embraced.
Reflection
In the final scene of Aria, inspired by the tranquil beauty of salt lakes, a serene sunset casts warm hues across the still waters. This peaceful setting becomes an opportunity for reflection as users are gently guided through a calming breathing exercise that has been woven into the experience. The surface of the water acts as a mirror, inviting introspection and grounding.
Final Thoughts
Moving forward, there's potential to add custom functionalities to this experience. Plugging in AI-based interactions will increase immersion. Think of reaching out your hand and a creature instinctively landing on it, using AI to increase the environment’s awareness of the participant’s presence. When the participant sees the world reacting to their existence, it helps them feel like they are “there”.
THE PROCESS
Currently, during the creation and testing of Aria, we uncovered several key insights that highlight both the promise and challenges of using the Apple Vision Pro for pain management. Users consistently found Aria's visuals captivating, with novice VR users expressing awe and relaxation, and even seasoned users, like Hunter Hoffman, praising the bioluminescent river's high-quality visuals and attention to detail. The Vision Pro's stunning visual clarity and innovative use of hand gestures and eye-tracking, instead of traditional controllers, allowed for a more intuitive and immersive experience. This increased sense of presence, historically linked to enhanced pain relief in VR, suggests great potential for extended therapeutic applications.
However, the Vision Pro also presents challenges. Custom graphics were necessary to create a realistic water experience, as existing solutions from other platforms, like Quest, were incompatible. The lack of haptic feedback due to the absence of controllers detracted from the physical sensations in the experience. Additionally, the headset’s individualized calibration process for each participant, while intriguing, proved time-consuming and is currently lost once the guest removes the device. Despite these hurdles, Aria’s innovative approach, especially in connecting tangible real-world experiences to the virtual environment, holds significant promise for the future of immersive pain management using Apple’s advanced technology.