TestVroom Simulator

Hackathon

Project Overview: ECE Design Competition 2020. Three-month long hackathon aimed to design products for Parkinson patients. One interview that inspired us was a patient who lost their driver’s license since Parkinson’s Disease impacts body coordination and multitasking. Our team wanted to help patients practice these skills and developed a driving simulator in Unity3D. It would track their reaction times using realistic physics while giving feedback on their reaction times. We used a gaming steering wheel and pedal attachments to preserve immersion and examine the patient’s actual movements.

Outcome: Nineteen teams presented at the final showcase. We got responses both about how our simulator could really be applied to patients and also about how it felt too much like a game. My biggest realization after looking at the winning projects was that they easily integrated into the lives of the people. Our driving simulator certainly achieved its goal if used, but was also too specific and out of their lifestyle for them.

Our Process

1. Interview and Survey (Parkinson patients)

2. Brainstorm (idea and the medium)

3. Brainstorm (game mechanics and implementation)

4. Unity Development (terrain, physics, interactions)

5. User Test (Parkinson patients)

6. Final Showcase and Presentation

My Roles

UX Designer, Database Specialist, Level Developer

• Crafted the survey questions

• Led brainstorming sessions

• Taught and advised on Unity3D to team

• Developed the final city and Tutorial

• Implemented collisions in C#