Engineering a Showcase of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Abstract

Numerous research studies and controlled trials have unveiled the potential of serious games in various health-related areas [1]. Their range of application can be even further extended by the use of virtual reality (VR) technology, which allows the realistic representation of interactive contents. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is a very promising novel use case for the development of serious games. Held in a virtual environment (VE) adaptive to the needs of the patient, this form of therapy can outperform traditional realworld measures [2], [3]. One of its major success factors is the engagement of the patient, which can be increased by an immersive gaming experience. We show a demonstrator of VRET application for a fire-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this demonstrator, features to support actively guided VR experiences are improved on, focusing on the interactive adaptivity of the VE.