OCD - Get out of Me
THE GOAL
Design a Digital Health Solution for OCD
Contrary to most Master’s projects, I was free to choose any topic I liked. So this my chance to finally work with brain-computer-interfaces, a consumer friendly sensor technology that measure electrical brain activity (EEG). Since I studied Psychology, I decided to pick a mental disorder that has fascinated me all along: Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder (OCD). By taking those two interests together my project goal was defined: Designing a digital health solution for people suffering from OCD.
Timeframe
1 year
Context
Master’s Thesis
Team
This was primarily a solo project. Later in the process I recruited a developer to help me create protoypes in Unitiy 3D.
Explorative Research
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Literature Review
I spent around 6 months reading tons of research articles about OCD and its correlating neuronal deficits. Visualizing the core insights of my reading was an integral part of my understanding process and helped communicate the problem I was trying so solve.
Competitive Analysis
First I started with desk research to find digital health solutions. Whereas there was a wide variety of solutions, health games seemed to show most promising effects. Later I went to a Therapeutic Neurogaming Conference in San Francisco, where I met many game inventors and digital health enthusiasts.
User Research
Since I didn’t have access to OCD patients at the time, I read through forums and blogs where OCD patients describe their struggles, therapie attempts and path towards getting better.
Research Insights
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OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding. Individuals who suffer from OCD become trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome.
Concept
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A therapeutic neurogame
Breaking the Behavior Chain
By using three psychological interventions was train the brain to better resist impulses, better stop already initiated compulsive behavior and overcome contamination fear (exposure to stimuli).
By Playing A Game
Games have several advantages. They decrease barriers of adoption, mundane tasks become more interesting and anxiety inducing procedure become less difficult.
Controlled by the Mind
I integrated brain-computer interface technology to get to the core problem of OCD. It measures users’ mental emotional state while playing the game.
Design Process
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Sketches & Wireframes
Studies have shown that people suffering from OCD have impaired impulse control. Studies have also shown that impulse control can be trained with simple tasks: the so called Go-Nogo and the Stopping Task. So I started iterating on mini-games based on those psychological task for each OCD subtype.
After gaining some initial ideas of possible games, I decided to focus my attention on the the most prevalent type of compulsion: cleaning.
Flow Chart
Winning the Neurogaming Hackathon
In May 2015 I pitched my idea at the Neurogaming Hackathon in San Francisco.
The Solution
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A THERAPEUTIC NEUROGAME
SmutzCastle
ShmutzCastle is a third-person therapeutic neurogame that plays in a medium sized, modern town called Cerebrum (Latin for brain). The player, represented by an avatar named Evan, will run through different environments, such as streets, shopping malls, train stations, bus stations, houses, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Within each environment, Evan will have to accomplish three missions. Each of the three missions incorporates one of the three psychological interventions (impulse control training, action cancellation training, and systematic desensitization). A game narrative frames the three missions and its corresponding psychological tasks into a meaningful story line that is metaphorically relevant to the OCD patient and that provides instructions about how to play the game.
GAME NARRATIVE
Once upon a time ...
… there was a town called Cerebrum. Cerebrum used to be a very happy place, populated by the sprightly and cheery Shmutzie folk. This, however, was about to change as Repeticia and Obsess came to invade the town. Obsess is so afraid of losing his power that he suppresses, frightens and threatens Shmutzies to such an extent that they started hiding in dark places. Whenever Shmutzies do not comply, Repeticia sends out Cleaners of her Army of Hygiene. Only a few Shmutzies were able to stay resistant, but are too disorganized to start a revolution. Now you have been called to town and commissioned to bring back peace!
MISSION I
Collect
Repeticia and Obsess have heard that you are in town and know about your plan to start a revolution. In order to destroy your plan, they took all rebellious Shmutzies and put them in trucks to throw them in the castle’s oriel. The trucks are already on their way to the castle, but you are lucky! Shmutzies were able to open the back doors of the trucks in order to escape. One by one, a Shmutzie will jump out of the trucks. Cleaners will jump too and try to catch them again. Run behind the trucks and pick the Shmutzies up before the Cleaners do!
MISSION II
Convince
In order to fight Obsess and Repeticia you will need more Shmutzies to help you. The rebellious Shmutzies you are trying to rescue from the oriel will not be enough to win this fight. Find more Shmutzies in the town and convince them that the fear Obsess spreads is not appropriate. Convince them to join your peace corps. But be careful. Those Shmutzies have built a strong defense mechanism against Cleaners. They have learned to change their appearance and disguise themselves as dirt layer on top of furniture. Since Shmutzies don’t know about your good intentions yet, they will try to spread fear in you. Keep a calm mind and you are golden!
MISSION III
Defeat
Now after you have collected and convinced a number of Shmutzies, it is time for a first attack. Go to the castle and help Shmutzies to storm it. One way of doing so is by catapulting Shmutzies through the windows. Be careful! Cleaners inside the castle will try to defend their territory.
