Mindsight

A training tool that utilizes the eye-tracking technology of the HTC Vive Pro Eye to teach community leaders how to identify and respond to signs of distress in their communities.

60% of people in need of mental health treatment are left without care. Existing research suggests that effective solutions should look to task-share mental health services with frontline community providers to build self-efficacy and competency in a safe environment and improve health equity and trust in vulnerable communities.

In our current prototype, we feature one of four sample cases provided by the Center for Innovation in Mental Health at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. Trainees from community-based organizations connected to the Harlem Strong Collaborative will encounter Jamal, a 24-year-old restaurant worker unaware of mental health resources. HTC Vive eye-tracking sets Mindsight apart from other video training or role play scenarios with standardized patients by measuring whether the trainee could see physical indicators of Jamal's anxiety during their conversation.

In the future, Mindsight could include fleshed out training simulations for Jamal and the three other CUNY cases: Lasandra, a 42-year-old single mom; Maria, a 27-year-old undocumented female; and Rachel, a 22-year-old female experiencing domestic abuse. Further developments would incorporate other research-backed visual and environmental warning signs beyond the body language indicators exhibited in our prototype.

The Mindsight prototype was developed in 48 hours for the 2022 XR Brain Jam hosted by Games for Change with the prompt "Promoting Positive Mental Health."

Team 7: The Lucky 7s

Sounak Ghosh (Producer and 3D Developer)

Ayanna Seals (Research Scientist)

Sanjit Singh (3D Developer)

Sondra Phifer (Instructional Designer and 3D Artist)

Mercedes Hesselroth (Narrative and Interaction Designer)

Special thanks to Dr. Victoria Ngo, PhD, MS.

The prototype is currently supported only on the HTC Vive Pro Eye.