Studio Elsewhere partnered with Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics (C-ACT) to create Q-Lab, an immersive and interactive research environment that provides a comprehensive assessment and rehabilitative care for deep brain stimulation (DBS) patients and surgery candidates across a range of medication resistant cases of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and Parkinson's disease. In collaboration with MD Helen S. Mayberg, a neurologist renowned for her study of brain circuits in depression, we engineered Q-Lab as a multi multimodal environment that allows scientists to quantitatively measure body movement through real-time body-tracking, facial movement through video analysis, emotion and voice modulations through audio analysis as patients engage with immersive and interactive experiences.

The interior of the lab was inspired by the architecture of Japanese tea houses and gardens landscapes and offers patients a restorative experience during their assessment sessions. Unlike traditional research lab visits where patients are subjected to repetitive tests and tasks that have no parallels to the task of every day life, Q-Lab allows the patient and the scientist go through the assessment routine in more casual, naturalistic ways. Q-Lab includes three custom bio-experiential immersive experiences, modules, which are coupled with robust bio information data-collection platform that allows for vast amounts of structured and open-ended data to be amassed and processed through traditional data analysis and AI models. This enables to scientists to detect more subtle changes in patients behavior than can be observed with conventional approaches, and adjusts patients treatment plan accordingly.

Q-Lab will also serve as an incubator for new research projects at C-ACT, with a particular emphasis on developing novel biomarkers to guide patient recovery, monitor treatment response, and understand mechanism of brain recovery.

Kokoro Forest - Interactive Wall

At the heart of the Q-Lab lies Kokoro Forest, which is a stunning interactive module that combines elements of a game world with an immersive projected environment. The inspiration for the world came from the Japanese word "kokoro," which represents the unity between the heart, mind, and spirit, seeing them as indivisible from one another.
In Western culture, these elements are typically viewed as separate entities, making it difficult to accurately translate the word into English. For those living with neuropsychiatric disorders, the connection between the mind and body can be fragile, requiring a lot of mending. Those experiencing depression often have little movement and a low "body budget." As the brain begins to recover, movement improves. In this context, Kokoro Forest provides a unique opportunity for patients to re-engage the connection between their mind and body. By immersing them in the world of play, we encourage them to explore and discover different interactive elements that surround them.
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Creating the World:
To create the world of Kokoro Forest, I studied the flora and fauna of Hokkaido Island, Sugura Bay where Mount Fuji is, and Kokedera Garden in Kyoto. I wanted to identify key elements that we could use in our work that were representative of the coastal ecosystem. As the collection of these elements grew, I created a map of interactions to ensure the experience continuously unfolded and positively reinforced "foraging."
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Motion and Motion Capture:
Kokoro Forest was built using Unreal Engine, and a motion capture pipeline was developed in Touch Designer. During a patient's play, a robust motion capture system powered by multiple Kinect Azure cameras collects vast data on their movements. The data is then processed by researchers via multiple AI algorithms that analyze velocity of movement, the patient’s "foraging range," or the area that the patient covers while moving, and much more. The scientists began to call the sets of these parameters "roaming entropy." Through the course of the treatment, Kokoro Forest became a powerful window into the trajectory of the recovery as it provides unbiased data.The interactivity of the world combines gesture recognition and freestyle movement. We emphasized the connection between body and breath by using postures evocative of tai chi practice. The poses were designed to be intuitive and something that could be discovered during the experience through exploration and movement. The backend system supporting the interaction was engineered in a way that would only track the patient's movement and disregard everyone else in the room.

Overall, Kokoro Forest is an inspiring experience that merges art and technology, providing a unique way for patients to re-engage their minds and bodies in the recovery process.

Interview Lounge

The Interview Lounge is a multi-purpose bio-experiential module. Its core functionality is to provide a calming environment for the interview portion of the patient's assessment, as well as a safe space to conduct recurring therapy sessions. The module is based on the research produced during the Recharge Room project and uses the same biophilic principles to create a sense of refuge, connection with nature, and help patients regulate stress and anxiety.

The Interview Lounge also functions as a data collection station. During assessments, patients are often asked to read a passage that helps scientists understand the progression of the disorder and treatment by tracking and analyzing facial expressions and voice modulations. Early on in our design process, we made a conscious decision not to employ wearable devices, including eye-tracking glasses, VR headsets, or lavalier microphones, as they require significant setup time, disturb the natural course of dialogue, and lead many patients to feel as if they are undergoing testing, resulting in altered responses. Rather than wearables, we have discreetly installed cameras and directional microphone arrays around the seating area to capture the bio data streams.

Breathing Wall

Inspired by the concept of Enso Circle, the Breathing Wall is a living and light sculpture that combines metal, moss, and LED lights. It was designed as a therapeutic intervention to support and guide patients undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy in regulating their nervous system, practicing meditation, and developing mindfulness. The Breathing Wall facilitates various breathing exercises, including box breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and relaxed breathing, which aid in the management of stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. Engaging in these breathing exercises also sets a more relaxed atmosphere during a sessions at Qlab.

In order to achieve the desired effect, it was crucial to make interaction intuitive and easy to learn, and keep technology as invisible as possible. During the design process, I developed a vocabulary of light patterns and signals to communicate with patients when to inhale, to exhale, or to hold their breath. This facilitate concentration on breathing and promote a state of calmness.

For the technology component, I kept it simple and used an individually addressable LED strip and Arduino Mega board.