LivelyLens

Inspiration

Dementia has wide-ranging, direct, and indirect effects on the well-being of older adults, their families, and the costs imposed on public programs according to Dementia statistics, Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI). There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 (Prohaska et al., 2009). The impending surge in dementia cases, particularly among the baby-boomer generation, poses a substantial burden on societal and economic resources, with an estimated $148 billion burden on direct healthcare services, respectively, according to World Health Organization. This demographic shift necessitates responsive health and social systems to cater to evolving senior needs (Godman, 2022). There is no medication yet invented that can cut your risk of dementia by 50%, but walking about 10,000 steps per day might, suggests a study published online Sept. 6, 2022, by JAMA Neurology. At larger assisted living facilities, individuals who develop any level of cognitive difficulty are told that they must move into memory care units rather than be able to stay in mainstream assisted living. They’re lumped together in a one-size-fits-all model that often has individuals with mild or moderate confusion mixed in with others who have severe behavioral disturbances. These units can be quite distressing to individuals with less severe symptoms who don’t understand the disruptive behavior of others according to PMC.

What it does

LivelyLens is designed to enhance the well-being of older adults in senior assisted living environments – a Mixed Reality (MR) experience that seamlessly integrates nature into their living spaces. By creating captivating MR scenes, we integrated virtual gardens adorned with plants and butterflies into their rooms, fostering a sense of safety and tranquility. Our goal is to promote the activeness of older adults through immersive journeys that mimic the beauty and serenity of the outdoors. But that's not all – our technology goes beyond mere escapism. We enable the 3D scanning of familiar objects, allowing seniors to surround themselves with cherished items, triggering memories, and providing a comforting environment. We transform the daily walk through a nursing home into a nostalgic journey down memory lane, creating a unique blend of technology and personalized experiences. As we continue to evolve our product, upcoming features such as hand tracking promise to elevate interactivity, making the MR experience even more engaging for older adults. Our commitment aligns seamlessly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly targeting Goal #3 (good health and wellbeing), Goal #10 (reduced inequalities), Goal #11 (sustainable cities and communities), and Goal #17 (partnerships for the goals). Through cutting-edge technology and thoughtful design, we strive to enhance the lives of seniors, fostering a sense of joy, connection, and well-being.

How we built it

We employed rapid prototyping techniques within Bezi, where we crafted the initial scene layout, devised comprehensive scene plans, and designed user interactions. The initial static assets were implemented during this phase. To enhance the overall scene aesthetics and interaction dynamics, we integrated the scene into Unity. The animated components were crafted using Blender. These animated assets were then imported into Unity. We also strategically incorporated Meta Presence Platform features such as passthrough, depth API, OVR Scene Manager - for the planes and volumes, and Audio SDK for the development of our MR application.

Challenges we ran into

In terms of accessibility design, the majority of our users are older adults who have limited or no experience with extended reality (XR) technologies, leading us to make deliberate decisions such as opting not to use controllers or hand gestures. Asset optimization presented challenges as well, with the headset imposing overall limits and rendering difficulties for main scene components like natural elements and lighting. To address these, we strategically selected and modified static and animated elements, although we encountered some issues with importing animations from Blender to Unity. Our workflow from Bezi to Unity brought about considerations in prototyping, asset arrangement, collision boxes, functionality capabilities, and animation integration. Additionally, the implementation of the OVR Camera Rig posed challenges, especially when attempting collision triggers without teleportation using controllers. Despite these hurdles, our team has been resilient in finding solutions, ensuring a thoughtful and accessible mixed-reality experience for our users.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We conducted swift and thorough tests of our vision and workflow across diverse platforms, ensuring adaptability and seamless integration. This process allowed our team to rapidly acquire new skills and foster effective collaboration, contributing to a more dynamic and innovative development cycle. Through this experience, we deepened our understanding of the positive social impact extended reality (XR) can have on marginalized communities, becoming advocates for its potential to reduce inequalities. By aligning our efforts with the United Nations goals, we actively contribute to the promotion of a more inclusive and equitable future through the transformative capabilities of XR technology.

What we learned

Learning cutting-edge technologies such as Unity, Bezi, and Blender, our team fostered effective collaborations among members with diverse skill sets. This collaborative environment not only facilitated the exchange of knowledge but also exposed us to emerging startups and innovative tech stacks. We delved into the intricacies of effective prototyping, honing our skills in efficiently bringing ideas to XR design. This experience not only broadened our technological toolkit but also reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for achieving successful outcomes.

What's next for LivelyLens

In envisioning the future of our project, we anticipate significant advancements in 3D scanning technology, making the process simpler and more interactive within the next 5-10 years. Imagine a scenario where older adults or caregivers can effortlessly capture 3D objects with a single photo from their smartphones or record scenes, creating a seamless way to share memories with friends and family. Moreover, we anticipate the integration of hand tracking and object interaction, empowering older adults to physically engage with the virtual environment. Future developments may include time awareness and seasonal changes within the scene, encouraging repeated visits by older adults. The potential for a multiplayer plant-sharing experience is also on the horizon, allowing seniors to witness the growth of friends' plants and offer assistance in nurturing them. Interactive audio features will enable communication with friends and family within the virtual space. Lastly, the incorporation of Machine Learning holds the promise of tracking older adults' medical records and demographic information, enabling the creation of personalized scenes and delivering enhanced wellness support. This vision represents our commitment to continuously evolving our project for the well-being and enjoyment of older adults (Cunha et al., 2023).