Design and assessment of a serious exergame to promote relaxation through slow-paced breathing

Abstract

In our society, tasks, uncertainties, and unexpected situations cause stress and anxiety, leading to negative consequences. One possible way to cope with it is by slow-paced breathing and meditation. This paper presents ZenBreath, a serious game that promotes relaxation by capturing and guiding the player's breathing in real time using a device called PITACO. ZenBreath promotes guided conscious breathing and relaxation, in addition to emotion comprehension. The game's design involved seventeen participants, four of whom were professionals in the field of psychology. The game evaluation included twenty-three participants, three of whom were professionals who tested the game in person. The game received overall scores of 4.39 and 3.99 (on a 1 to 5 scale) in an empathic utility assessment tool from players' and experts' perspectives, respectively. The evaluators' feedback highlighted the potential of the game as an auxiliary tool in fighting stress and anxiety.