Sukoon develops culturally tailored interventions using AI and virtual reality (VR) to teach and preserve Indian cultural heritage while addressing the impact of social rejection and cultural stereotyping.
The goal is to promote mental well-being and cultural pride among Indian individuals. Following the Double Diamond Design Methodology and Human-Centered Design principles, the study engaged users through interviews and focus groups to identify challenges and refine solutions. AI and VR prototypes were developed, focusing on informative, non-therapeutic uses.
AI guides users through immersive cultural experiences, providing educational insights about artefacts, traditions, and history. By offering an accessible, culturally enriching platform, this project fosters a deeper appreciation for Indian culture and challenges stereotypes. The iterative design ensures the solutions are both culturally sensitive and effective, providing a model for integrating traditional values with modern technologies for mental health support.
The original plan to model interactive figures in traditional Indian clothing for the VR environment faced challenges, including human modelling and Unreal Engine issues. To resolve this, I used a framed image of Indian people in traditional attire instead. This simplified the development while still providing cultural representation, ensuring the VR experience remained visually rich and informative without technical setbacks.
The interactive food cart is a key feature of my VR project, allowing users to engage with traditional Indian street food. Initially, technical issues with Unreal Engine’s ray-casting and VR compatibility caused delays. The issues were resolved after troubleshooting with FabLab technicians and guidance from Aldo. The “A INTERACT” prompt now works smoothly, letting users interact with the vendor and learn about Indian culture, enhancing the VR experience and promoting cultural understanding.
