Chill-out: Relaxation training through respiratory biofeedback in a mobile casual game

Abstract

We present Chill-Out, an adaptive biofeedback game that teaches relaxation skills by monitoring the breathing rate of the player. The game uses a positive feedback loop that penalizes fast breathing by means of a proportional derivative control law: rapid (and/or increasing) breathing rates increase game difficulty and reduce the final score of the game. We evaluated Chill-Out against a conventional non-biofeedback game and traditional relaxation based on deep breathing. Measurements of breathing rate, electrodermal activity, and heart rate variability show that playing Chill-Out leads to lower arousal during a subsequent task designed to induce stress.