Catmosonic

Feel your cat purr on your chest and stimulate the vagus nerve
Guided exercises designed to enhance the vagus nerve stimulation experience
Select your favourite cat
Watch your cat play with toys
Select objects to place in your space to make it your own
Cat toy chasing bubbles you can blow
Cat toy chasing laser pointer
Removing placed objects
Customise your experience

We formed ImportantSmallThings to create consumer VR that genuinely supports wellbeing. Our background comes from seven years working in healthcare, where we developed evidence-based VR used in hospitals to reduce patients’ pain and anxiety. One of our proudest achievements was creating the first VR Class-One medical device in the UK, which has helped thousands of patients. At ImportantSmallThings our research led us to Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) and its ability to calm the nervous system. But VNS devices are expensive and out of reach for most people, which in turn led us to look for a simpler, more accessible approaches. Our spark of genius was when we realized that the standard haptics in a Quest controller could be used as a form of frequency therapy. With this idea, anyone with a Quest headset could explore VNS-inspired calming effects through a free, playful VR experience.

We wanted to make something friendly and fun, and the metaphor of a cat’s purr offered the perfect fit. A purr is universally recognized as comforting, warm, and rhythmic—ideal for a well-being experience. That combination of science, accessibility, and charm became the seed that grew into Catmosonic.

We had already begun building the core concept before the hackathon, but the event gave us the opportunity to focus on delivering a working MVP. We made Catmosonic in Unity we a team of just two: Arron, (development), and Kev, (design). Because we’ve worked together for years, we can move quickly, spot problems early, and iterate without slowing down.

Catmosonic has two interconnected sides:

1) Pass-through Cat Experience

In pass-through mode, the player meets their virtual cat inside their real room. The cat wanders around, exploring the space and chasing toy mice. The player can ‘catmosonicfy’ their environment by adding items like cat beds and milk bowls, utilizing the SpatialSDK. There are also playful mechanics: a ‘chase’ light pen and blowing bubbles that float around the room (cool hack that measure breathe across the microphone). This side of the experience has a lot of potential for growth. In future updates, players will be able to paint their walls, encourage the cat to climb onto furniture, earn “cat points,” and unlock additional toys and behaviors—turning their room into a personalized catmosonic environment.

2) The VR Log Cabin (Sonic Therapy Mode)

When placing the left Quest controller on your chest, the world shifts into a warm, cozy log cabin. Their cat curls up on their chest and begins to purr. Through the controller’s haptics, the player feels that purr as a calming vibration designed to support relaxation. The cabin also includes a simple breathing exercise that pairs with the rhythm of the purr. Future expansions will introduce elements like “omm” chanting, active listening exercises, and new calming spaces.

When removing the controller from your chest, the cabin fades and returns to pass-through, where the cat hops off and is ready to play again.

We believe Catmosonic can become a no-brainer free download—an accessible, comforting way for anyone to explore simple frequency and sonic therapy or simply enjoy the companionship of a virtual cat that looks after them.