Week 10: 18th Nov – 22nd Nov

This week was focused on advancing the Heart Rate Concept by integrating its main functionality beyond graphing, continuing work on the tree environment, and further refining interactive elements like fruit splitting.

Heartbeat Main Functionality

I dedicated significant time to implementing the core functionality for the heartbeat visualization in the tree environment. Beyond the graph representation, the aim was to make the environment more immersive and engaging:

• Developed ambient feedback tied to the user's heart rate data, such as subtle vibrations in the controllers.
• Added dynamic changes to the tree environment based on heart rate trends (e.g., fruit color changing based on the type of activity in that hour).

Fruit Graph Visualization

• Enhanced graph accuracy by ensuring the visualization dynamically adjusted to both high and low heart rate variability.
• Improved the branch animations to provide clearer feedback on heart rate trends. Branches now have more height variability which allows the user to distinguish different heart rates better.

Fruit Splitting Updates

• Ensured smoother transitions between fruit splitting and data display, the graph opacity and size are tied to how much the user stretches the fruits apart. Makes for a visually appealing transition.

Reflections

This week marked substantial progress in enhancing the heartbeat environment and its core functionality. While there's still room for optimization, especially in aligning ambient feedback with the graph visuals, the foundation for an immersive experience has been firmly established. The improved tree graph and fruit splitting mechanics further strengthen the user engagement, bringing us closer to the project's final vision.