Evaluation of Relaxation Effects Induced by a Breath-synchronized Interactive Device: A Comparison of Synchronized and Delayed Groups

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Sensory hypersensitivity affects different individuals and causes stress and fatigue. Sensory rooms employ items such as bubble tubes to promote relaxation; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined whether the timing of breath-synchronized visual feedback affects relaxation, comparing synchronized and delayed groups. It developed an interactive device that deformed a hyperboloid structure in response to breathing detected by an RGB-Depth camera. Fifty-four participants were randomly assigned to a synchronized or delayed (2.5-s lag) group. Both groups showed reduced respiratory rate and increased respiratory amplitude during the 15-min viewing. Predictive coding theory is one possible interpretation of these changes. The synchronized group showed a greater increase in respiratory amplitude and a larger reduction in salivary amylase than the delayed group, indicating that feedback timing affected some physiological measures; other factors like attention to breathing may also have contributed to this. These findings may offer preliminary implications for sensory-environment design.