Brianna Lowe

Project Summary

Busy Bus is a virtual reality and tablet-based simulation co-developed with Holland Bloorview to reduce anxiety and build confidence in neurodivergent children preparing for school transportation. Through a series of scripted, escalating scenarios, the experience introduces children to social and sensory challenges associated with riding a school bus in a safe, structured way

Duration: March 2017 - April 2018 (Peer review published in 2021)

My Role

I worked closely with clinicians, families, and children to develop a series of sensory-graded VR scenarios. On the production side, I directed script delivery and performance tone during filming to ensure emotional safety and realism. I also helped align all technical, clinical, and creative contributors under a shared therapeutic goal

My Deliverables

• Led product strategy, user experience design, and narrative development
• Collaborated with clinicians, therapists, and families to script realistic school bus scenarios
• Directed and managed the 360º video shoot, including casting and sound design coordination
• Oversaw stakeholder reviews, iterative testing, and refinements based on behavioral data
• Supported early research translation and clinical validation through prototype testing

Business Goal

To deliver a scalable, evidence-based digital therapeutic that supports neurodivergent children in mastering everyday challenges, starting with the school bus, by bridging immersive storytelling, clinical research, and accessible technology for home and clinic use.

   Foundational Research

• Conducted observational studies with children in clinical settings to understand sensory and behavioural triggers related to school transportation.
• Interviewed families and transportation staff to gather firsthand insights on common anxiety points (e.g., crowded buses, unpredictable social interactions, loud engine noise).
• Reviewed existing literature on sensory processing, ASD coping strategies, and exposure-based therapy models.

  Script Development

• Developed a six-scenario arc progressing from low to high sensory complexity, modeling real-life situations.
• Wrote scene-by-scene dialogue and interactions for children, bus driver, and NPCs—mirroring escalating social and environmental challenges.
• Incorporated structured exposure goals (e.g., physical proximity, noise tolerance, social disruptions) aligned with clinical therapeutic strategies.

  Stakeholder Co-Creation

• Collaborated with Holland Bloorview clinicians, occupational therapists, and caregivers to validate tone, pacing, and therapeutic value.
• Held review sessions with neurodivergent children and their families to test comfort levels with specific sounds, movements, and dialogue.
• Refined scripts and user flow based on feedback regarding emotional regulation, usability, and behavioral triggers.

  360º Filming & Audio Design

• Directed a multi-day 360º video shoot on a real school bus using child actors (ages 6–13) and a trained driver.
• Captured scene transitions, movement realism, and layered ambient sounds (e.g., engine rumble, footsteps, outdoor traffic) for immersion.
• Controlled in-scene stimuli (chatter, bumps, interruptions) to align with scenario goals and allow repeatability for therapeutic use.
• Ensured fixed camera positions to prevent VR nausea and enhance spatial orientation.

System Setup & Integration

• Built compatibility for both tablet and VR delivery, including simplified controls and accessible UI for younger users.

Usability Study Highlights

  As part of the development and validation of Busy Bus, several clinical studies—including a formal usability trial at Holland Bloorview—were conducted to evaluate the safety, engagement, and effectiveness of immersive VR as a therapeutic intervention for autistic children. The following are key findings from the usability research:  

  Study Objectives

• Reduce Anxiety: Simulate sensory and social challenges associated with school buses in a controlled, immersive environment.
• Support Skill Generalization: Reinforce coping mechanisms that transfer to real-world scenarios.
• Deliver Actionable Feedback: Provide clinicians and caregivers with behavioral insights to tailor intervention strategies.

  Key Findings
1. VR Safety & Sense of Presence

• Most children experienced no cybersickness or discomfort, even with head-mounted displays.
• A higher sense of presence was reported by children with lower anxiety and higher cognitive flexibility.
• Customization and scene pacing were essential to maximizing comfort and minimizing overstimulation.

2. VR vs. Traditional Video

• 74% of participants preferred VR over flat-screen video, citing realism and enjoyment.
• Spatial presence and natural interactions were perceived as more lifelike in VR.
• Both formats yielded comparable safety profiles in terms of anxiety and motion sickness.

3. Engagement & Emotional Regulation

• Children were more engaged and expressive when immersed in the Busy Bus experience.
• The escalating scenario structure (from quiet to socially complex scenes) allowed for graded exposure and built tolerance over time.

Challenges Faced

• Designing for Sensory Safety in VR
  Creating an experience that was immersive without overstimulating required meticulous control of sound, motion, and camera positioning to avoid nausea, anxiety, or disengagement.
• Balancing Clinical Realism with Child-Friendliness
  Script development involved constant negotiation between accurate bus dynamics and language that was approachable, calming, and empowering for children.
• Accessibility Across Platforms
  Supporting both VR headsets and tablets introduced complexity in interface design and performance optimization, especially for lower-end devices used in homes and clinics.
• Iterative Feedback Loops with Diverse Stakeholders
  Incorporating input from clinicians, caregivers, children, and researchers added richness—but also slowed down the design-review cycle, requiring agile coordination and version control.
• Emotional Calibration of Scenes
  Determining the right level of escalation in sensory complexity was challenging—too mild lacked therapeutic value, too intense could cause shutdown or avoidance.

Next Steps

• Expanded Pilot Testing Across Settings
  Broaden the deployment of Busy Bus into more clinical and school-based settings to gather cross-contextual feedback and measure real-world behavioral outcomes.
• Longitudinal Studies
  Launch a follow-up study to evaluate how repeated exposure over weeks impacts generalization, anxiety levels, and school readiness in neurodivergent children.
• Platform Optimization & Scalability
  Enhance tablet performance and refine remote monitoring features for wider distribution in home-based therapy bundles.
• Content Expansion
  Explore new modules simulating other transitions—such as classroom entry, lunchtime, or visiting the nurse’s office—to build a comprehensive immersive therapy toolkit.
• Adaptive Personalization
  Integrate biometric feedback and caregiver-controlled difficulty settings to support individualized therapeutic pacing and responsiveness