A design student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has created headphones promoting responsible video gaming for youth.
Joohui Im, who completed a Bachelor of Design in Product Design this spring at the Wilson School of Design at KPU, designed gaming headphones that incorporate electroencephalogram (EEG) technology to monitor brainwave activity during gameplay.
“I’m a gamer and I have experience watching people game so I was starting to question how we can prevent gaming addictions and disorders,” says Im.
Targeted at youth ages 13 to 25 whose brains are still developing, these headphones aim to foster responsible gaming habits.
The technology alerts gamers with visual and auditory signals when it detects imbalanced brainwaves.
Im explains the headphones are not just for gamers, they are also suitable for workers and students who may be experiencing stress and anxiety.
Iryna Karaush, an instructor at Wilson School of Design, says Im took on a significant responsibility to advocate for gamers
"It's not just about the science, but about compassion and sensibility,” says Karaush. “She’s the one who is immersed in this environment. She knows the product inside and out.”
Through this project, Im gained a deeper knowledge of human behaviour and the consequences of gaming disorder. As a result, she created a prototype that could potentially drive change in her community.
Im’s design is part of her capstone project. She intends to further develop the technology while pursuing her master's degree in design at University of British Columbia.
Im received a Student Research and Innovation Grant to work on her design. These grants allow KPU students to gain research and innovation skills as part of their polytechnic university experience.
KPU's Bachelor of Design in Product Design program provides a rigorous, hands-on education that combines a solid foundation in practical design principles such as construction and economics with design, with manufacturing and marketing.