Breathe-VR is a VR application that supports children undergoing chemotherapy by promoting deep, slow breathing to reduce pain and anxiety during treatment. Using Oculus Quest 2 and ADXL sensors, the application was created in collaboration with Koç Hospital under the guidance of Dr. Semerci, ensuring it was adaptable for pediatric use. Patient feedback shaped its design, leading to changes like replacing intimidating dark ocean environments with friendlier scenes. The gameplay features three selectable scenes—two underwater and one garden—where visual cues encourage deep breathing. Progress bars fill as users breathe deeply, triggering interactive changes, such as bubbles and sea creatures appearing underwater or new plants growing in the garden.

 

As part of a two-member team, I contributed to coding game mechanisms, designing immersive VR content, and integrating sensors to synchronize with gameplay. A key challenge was filtering ADXL sensor data to accurately track breathing while minimizing interference from other movements.

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The VR game was implemented at Koç Hospital with pediatric oncology patients in 2023.

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Achievements:

• Advanced to the final stage of the TÜBİTAK "Technology for Humanity" competition.

• Nominated for the Best Senior Design Project.

• Published findings in the Annals of Oncology Journal[1].
   

Savaş, E. H., Semerci, R., Sayın, A., Dinçer, B., Semiz, B., & Urey, H. (2023). CN2 BioVirtualPed: A biofeedback based virtual reality game for pediatric patients. Annals of Oncology, 34(Supplement 2), S1226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151615

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September 2022 - June 2023