Canvas Idea

To create beStraight, a VR platform for the prevention of spinal diseases in children, by turning routine therapeutic exercises into an exciting game.

Canvas Challenge

The core problem with pediatric physical therapy is catastrophically low motivation. Children, especially in a boarding school environment, perceive exercises as a boring and tedious chore. The challenge was to break through this wall of resistance and create a tool that would make children perform movements with passion and enjoyment.

Stroke Solution

The key decision—the "one precise stroke"—was the concept of "Therapeutic Magic." We turned each therapeutic exercise into a spell that changed the surrounding virtual world. A correct arm movement would make a forest grow. A proper torso tilt would summon a dragon. The child focused not on fatigue, but on the result of their "magic," transforming therapy into an enchanting practice.

Value Metrics

• Motivation Transformed: Children's engagement in therapy sessions increased several times over. Refusals to exercise were replaced by a desire to "complete the game."
• Measurable Therapeutic Effect: The pilot group showed documented improvements in posture and core muscle strength metrics.
• Efficient Execution: The project was fully developed and implemented within the allocated budget of 2.5 million rubles (~$34,400 as of 2020), proving our ability to deliver complex, socially impactful products with high fiscal discipline.

Tech Stack

• 3D Engine: Unity 2020.x with C# scripting
• VR SDK: SteamVR Plugin for Unity for integration with HTC Vive
• Hardware: PC VR setup with HTC Vive headset and base stations
• Motion Tracking: HTC Vive Trackers attached to the user's body for precise exercise monitoring
• 3D Modeling: Blender / Autodesk 3ds Max for creating the enchanted virtual world

“Physical therapy used to be boring, and my back still hurt. But here, you wave your arms, and a forest grows. You bend over, and a castle is built. I didn't even notice I was doing exercises; I just wanted to make my world the most beautiful. And my back started to feel less tired.”— Kirill, 12, boarding school resident