AugMend Health
Product Design
Virtual Reality
Research & Strategy
UI/UX Design
Branding
AI-Guided VR Solutions Revolutionising Behavioural Health
Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Unreal Engine, Meta Quest 3
AugMend Health tackles critical gaps in behavioral health for oncology and chronic pain patients by integrating AI-guided VR solutions into healthcare systems. With a focus on empathy, accessibility, and efficiency, the project blends technological innovation with human-centric design. As the user researcher and product designer on the VR team, I conducted user research, synthesized insights, and developed user-centered features to create a scalable and empathetic therapy platform.
01 THE PROBLEM
Addressing Behavioural Health Inequities in Cancer and Chronic Care
Oncology and chronic pain patients often experience unmet behavioral health needs due to fragmented care, limited access to mental health resources, and a lack of empathetic, personalized tools. Traditional therapy settings frequently overlook cultural and emotional contexts, exacerbating these challenges.
Disconnect
in Care
Behavioral health is often siloed from physical health care, leaving patients unsupported emotionally.
Lack of Empathy
Patients feel rushed and unheard in traditional healthcare settings, impacting their mental well-being.
Access
Barriers
Long wait times and limited mental health professionals create a gap in timely care.
02 RESEARCH QUESTION
How can AI-guided VR solutions provide scalable, personalised, and empathetic behavioural health support for oncology and chronic pain patients?
03 RESEARCH
User
Interviews
Qualitative insights from oncology and chronic pain patients
User
Interviews
Qualitative insights from healthcare professionals
Competitive Analysis
Competitive and literature analysis to explore existing solutions and define gaps
Prototyping + User Testing
Iteratively developed design principles, user frameworks, and product features
KEY INSIGHT 1: Empathy Matters!
Patients emphasized empathy and personal engagement, ensuring patients feel heard—an aspect often overlooked in rushed healthcare settings.
KEY INSIGHT 2: Lack of Information & Guidance
Patients noted a lack of follow-up or deeper communication from their healthcare providers.
KEY INSIGHT 3: Personalised and Accesible Behavioural Health Support
Patients lacked access to behavioural health support during their treatment.
Trying to link the oncologists into a cohesive plan was always challenging.
The support ended when treatment ended... I needed help piecing it all together.
“The doctor just sends me for tests, and then I get pushed into medications.”
Having goals gave me motivation while waiting for my next doctor’s appointment.
“I need something with goals and benchmarks... not just the same routine every day.”
“He said I was borderline diabetic but didn’t tell me what I need to do.”
“The Sloan Kettering app was useful, but you have to find answers on your own.”
“I’ve heard the same things over and over again, just in better detail.”
“I’ve heard the same things over and over again, just in better detail.”
“We became friends in the radiology waiting room... we still talk today.”
04 FINAL PROJECT GOAL
To enhance AugMend Health's AI-guided VR platform by developing progress tracking features that provide accessible, empathetic, and personalised support.
FEATURE 1
Visual Progress Dashboards
FEATURE 2
Personalised Goal Setting
FEATURE 3
Automated Insights and Feedback
05 PATIENT PERSONA
06 LITERATURE ANALYSIS
07 LOW FI PROTOTYPE
Laying the Groundwork: Designing Foundational VR Therapy Experiences
The low-fidelity prototype focused on foundational designs, including gesture mapping and interaction flows for key features. Through initial testing with clinicians and patients, pain points were identified, and feedback informed iterative design refinements, ensuring alignment with user needs.
08 HI FI PROTOTYPE
Refining the Experience: Building Trust and Engagement in VR Therapy
A VR therapy dashboard that transforms cancer treatment data into an intuitive journey, combining health metrics, therapy milestones, and emotional wellbeing through a calming interface designed for daily patient engagement.
FEATURE 1: AI-GUIDED HEALTH GOALS
Personalized therapy recommendations from AugMend avatar, focusing on daily mindfulness practice and CBT sessions to support mental wellbeing.
FEATURE 2: CANCER BIOMARKER TRACKING
Monitors 8 cancer-specific markers including CA 15-3 and CEA levels, displaying results against normal ranges for immediate health status assessment.
FEATURE 3: INTERACTIVE TREATMENT ROADMAP
Visualizes the patient's journey, highlighting key milestones across orientation, active treatment, and mindfulness phases.
FEATURE 4: AUGMEND HEALTH SCORE
Real-time wellness indicator combining physical and mental health metrics, providing encouraging feedback on therapy effectiveness.
09 TESTING & FEEDBACK
Regular user testing gathers feedback on interface usability. Insights inform design refinements.
Ongoing Usability Evaluation Regular user testing sessions to gather feedback on interface intuitiveness, learnability, and overall satisfaction. Incorporate actionable insights to refine the design.
Sentiment Analysis Monitor real-time patient sentiment through surveys, in-app reactions, and treatment adherence metrics. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and deliver a more empathetic experience.