Enhancing Curiosity to Create a Child-Centered EEG Experience

Abstract

This project focuses on designing a new EEG experience for children visiting the Child Brain Lab at the Sophia Children’s Hospital. The Child Brain Lab will be a new space to do pediatric research for different neurological and psychological disorders. In this space there will be stations where children will do different brain tests, and one which is the EEG station. The initial goal of this project was to improve experience for children 6-12 years old by enhancing curiosity when going to the EEG station, to allow them to learn more about the EEG on their own terms. Literature and observational research was done to learn more about the different stakeholders and the context of the EEG, focusing on identifying moments of boredom, anxiety, and curiosity for the children visiting the EEG space. In addition, the moments of interaction between the child-patient and the parent and lab technician were looked at in relation to these emotions. The observational research led to detailed patient journey maps to be created for four patients who were doing an EEG test regarding the three emotions identified and the interactions between the users. The main insights found were that patients are usually prepared for the procedural side of the appointment but not really about what the EEG test does. This is due to the EEG test being difficult to understand, even for parents, and it becomes assumed that it is too abstract for children to grasp. Factors for how to spark curiosity were also identified through literature research: creating a safe space, building up anticipation, allowing children to predict what will happen, and integrating novel colors, sounds, or other effects. The insights from the research lead to many ideas through sketches and low fidelity prototypes to be developed during and after the research process. Different feedback sessions with patients, parents, and healthcare providers help define the concept direction: an interactive experience that children can play during the EEG to help them learn about what the EEG does on their own terms. The final design is Wavy, an interactive experience that utilizes projected images that interact with physical pieces to create a virtual and physical environment for children to explore ‘What an EEG does’ and to introduce parts of the procedure for children. Wavy shows how doing different activities affects the EEG reading. By placing electrodes pieces, children find brain waves and an activity knob allows children to change the activity, changing the brain waves patterns. The design has been evaluated through interviews with child-patients, their parents, lab technicians, and neurologists (n=14). A virtual interactive prototype was created to test with the child-patients and parents. Lab technicians and neurologists appreciate that the game helps engage children to be more actively a part of the EEG appointment. During the prototype evaluation, children were able to relate the Wavy experience to their own EEG experience and asked exploratory questions to their parents about the game and EEG.