How are you today?
A virtual reality project — made using Unity and samsung gear vr
"How Are You Today" is an interactive experience where the user meets with a computer program parading as a psychiatrist. Inspired by therapy methods done in psychiatric wards, the experience intends to make the user uncomfortable and question their own mentality. The AI asks the user questions that go from vague to oddly specific, triggering things that hopefully the user never felt before.
The entire game was made through Unity using the Fungus asset. All audio is text-to-speech with the use of Muzak found on YouTube. In addition, the use of the Samsung GearVR is implemented for the virtual reality experience.
Using flowcharts, I fleshed out a sort of choose your own adventure progressions. Session lengths varied because of the multiple pathways.
When looking at such AI as the ELIZA project, I wondered how more often than not we try and create artificial intelligence that tries to be a carbon copy of a human being. Though these projects try to create an accurate and well-functioning AI, I wanted to create something that's the exact opposite. I created the illusion of an AI that believes they are a perfectly capable psychiatrist when in fact they are not getting anything correct.
I wanted to create discomfort within the user's mentality. Even when the computer gave sage advice, I wanted it to be a little off. Inspired as well by sarcastic AI and narrators seen in such video games as Portal and Stanley's Parable, I wanted this "psychiatrist" to not be considerate.